War Crimes? Land Strikes?

The USS Gerald R. Ford in St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands on Dec. 1, 2025. Military forces are deployed to the Caribbean in support of the US Southern Command mission. (US Navy photo)

Morning Coffee is a robust blend of links to news around the internet concerning the Naval Air Station Patuxent River economic community. The opinions expressed here do not reflect opinions of the Leader’s owners or staff.

Amid talk of war crimes stemming from a Sept. 2 attack on a boat in the Caribbean, Trump officials say DefSec Pete Hegseth ordered a lethal attack but not the killing of survivors, reports The New York Times. Intensifying scrutiny follows a Washington Post report last week saying ADM Frank Bradley, the Special Operations commander overseeing the attack, ordered a second strike to fulfill a directive by Mr. Hegseth to kill everyone.

Hegseth has called the reports “fake news,” according to the Guardian, and at a cabinet meeting at the White House on Tuesday, Hegseth cited the “fog of war” in defending the follow-up strike on the vessel struck Sept. 2, reports Military.com.

 “We’re going to start doing those strikes on land, too,” Trump said during Tuesday’s cabinet meeting. “You know, the land is much easier. … And we know the routes they take. We know everything about them. We know where they live. We know where the bad ones live. And we’re going to start that very soon, too.”

The White House said Monday that Bradley acted “within his authority and the law” when he ordered a second, follow-up strike on the alleged drug boat strikes now under bipartisan scrutiny, reports APNews.

Democrats contend the singling out of Bradley is part of a broader pattern of conduct by the Trump administration, reports The Hill. “This administration has a long history of asking people to do things that are reckless or lawless, and then throwing them under the bus and shifting blame,” Rep. Jason Crow (D-CO) said. “And there’s no doubt that that seems to be what’s happening here.”

NAVAIR has selected AeroVironment, Shield AI, Insitu, and Textron Systems to compete for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance services for strike drones, reports ExecutiveGov. These companies are expected to compete for each opportunity, with the winning bidder receiving the delivery order. Naval Air Systems Command revealed plans to issue the delivery orders under four basic ordering agreements to support land and sea-based unmanned aerial system contractor-owned, contractor-operated intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance services.

The Missile Defense Agency has tapped hundreds of companies to supply tech for the Golden Dome initiative, though only those who receive orders later will get a piece of a prize pool worth up to $151 billion, reports Breaking Defense. After receiving 2,463 offers for the “first phase” of the Scalable Homeland Innovative Enterprise Layered Defense (SHIELD) contracting vehicle, the agency named 1,014 “qualifying offerors” eligible for staggered awards to be doled out via separate orders.

The Pentagon awarded RTX’s Pratt & Whitney a $1.6 billion contract for sustainment work on the F-35’s engine on Nov. 28, reports Air and Space Magazine. The deal includes everything from software maintenance to spare parts for the F135 engine and runs through November 2026, spanning a dozen locations around the globe.

Mint.com predicted shares of Lockheed Martin would be in focus on Wall Street on Tuesday, Dec. 2, following the receipt of a mega order worth about $52 million from the US Department of War. Lockheed shares had ended 4% lower at $439.19 on the NYSE on Dec. 1, as investors booked profits after a three-day rally. At Monday levels, Lockheed Martin share price was 16% below its 52-week high of $521.50, with the stock losing 13% in a year.

Exxon Mobil has approached the Iraqi oil ministry to express interest in buying Russian firm Lukoil’s majority stake in the giant West Qurna 2 oilfield, reports Reuters. Lukoil is trying to sell its international assets after the US imposed sanctions on the company. Exxon’s move would mark a major expansion of the US’s return to Iraq as Moscow tries to offload key energy assets.

All US soldiers and Army civilian employees must report to the service any offers for secondary employment or requests to participate in academic projects amid an uptick in adversary efforts to steal classified or sensitive information, reports Stars and Stripes. Foreign intelligence agents pose online as “consulting firms, corporate recruiters, think tanks and other seemingly legitimate companies” to pursue US national security information.

The Army’s 2nd Security Force Assistance Brigade that trained counterparts in the Middle East and Africa, was inactivated last week, a harbinger of  the service’s transformation plans to trim areas not directly boosting firepower and to align with Hegseth’s directive to prioritize building “lethality,” reports Stars and Stripes.

The Navy has a new US Fleet Forces commander. ADM Karl Thomas assumed the role on Monday in a ceremony aboard USS Harry S. Truman (CVN-75), reports USNI. Thomas takes over the position last held by Chief of Naval Operations ADM Daryl Caudle, who presided over the ceremony.

Caudle has selected Matthew Swartz to serve in a new executive director position on the CNO’s staff, reports Defense Scoop. Swartz’s duties include “staff integration” and cross-functional coordination for the sea service and as “senior advocate” for the Navy’s civilian workforce.

The Social Service Administrations wants to halve 31 million down to 15 million visits to an SSA field office in FY26, which began two months ago. The goal, reports Nextgov/FCW, is to push people to interact with Social Security online instead of visiting a field office or calling the agency. Field office staffing was already down by nearly 2,000 people, according to an April 2025 AARP newsletter. In July, the agency moved 1,000 workers from field roles to staffing its 1-800 number and website.

Retail giant Costco is suing for a full refund on the duties paid resulting from Trump’s global tariffs, reports The Washington Post. Costco contends the administration’s tariffs imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act are unlawful, that the 1977 law applied has historically been used to impose sanctions against other nations. Costco joins dozens of other companies that have filed suits seeking tariff refunds.

Amazon is cutting the fees it charges sellers in Europe as it responds to competition from marketplaces like Shein and Temu that sell clothes, housewares, and gadgets at rock-bottom prices, reports Reuters. It is one of Amazon’s largest ever fee reductions, and initially focused on lowering fees for sellers of cheap fashion, cutting referral charges on clothes and accessories to 5% from 7% for items up to 15 euros ($17.41) or 15 pounds ($19.79), and to 10% from 15% for items between 15 and 20 euros or pounds, effective from Dec. 15.

Apple does not plan to comply with India’s mandate to preload its smartphones with a state-owned cyber safety app that has sparked surveillance concerns, reports Reuters. The Indian government has confidentially ordered companies including Apple, Samsung, and Xiaomi  to preload their phones with an app called Sanchar Saathi, or Communication Partner, within 90 days. The app is intended to track stolen phones, block them and prevent them from being misused.

The Southeastern Public Service Authority of Virginia will partner with a subsidiary of AMP Robotics to remove recyclables and organic waste from bagged trash, reports Route-Fifty. Communities served by the authority include Chesapeake, Franklin, Norfolk, Portsmouth, Suffolk, Virginia Beach, and the counties of Isle of Wight and Southampton.

Virginia is first and Maryland the fifth best state for veterans, according to Smile Hub found based upon community support, health and wellness, and employment and finances.

Contracts:

Prism Maritime LLC, Chesapeake, Virginia, is awarded a $93,158,280 cost-plus-fixed-fee and firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for support performing the functions of an MK38 alteration installation team with the installation of ship alterations, ship change documents, ordnance alterations, and system repairs as related to the MK38 machine gun system on Navy and Coast Guard vessels, and authorized Foreign Military Sales. Work will be performed in San Diego, California (30%); Norfolk, Virginia (30%); Everett and Oak Harbor, Washington (15%); Mayport, Florida (10%); and Yokosuka, Japan (15%), and is expected to be completed by December 2030. Fiscal 2025 weapons procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $500 (minimum contract guarantee) will be obligated at time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured via the SAM.gov website with five offers received. Naval Surface Warfare Center Indian Head Division, Indian Head, Maryland, is the contracting activity (N00174-26-D-0001). 

Vectrus Systems LLC, Colorado Springs, Colorado, is awarded a $17,381,621 cost-plus-fixed-fee, firm-fixed-price, cost contract to provide program and project management, engineering, technical assistance, logistics and financial management support for the MH-60R air vehicles, subsystems, armament, engine, airborne weapons, spares, and support equipment for Foreign Military Sales (FMS) customer and cooperative programs partners. Work will be performed in California, Maryland (74%); Patuxent River, Maryland (8%); San Deigo, California (7%); Copenhagen, Denmark (6.4%); Philadelphia. Pennsylvania (3%); and various locations outside the continental US (1.6%). FMS customer funds in the amount of $1,585,686 will be obligated at the time of award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competed. Naval Air Warfare Aircraft Division, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity (N0042126C1001).

BAE Systems Technology Solutions & Services Inc., Rockville, Maryland, is being awarded a $14,233,053 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract modification (P00045) under a previously awarded and announced contract (N00030-22-C-6001) for support services for the U.S. Trident II D5 Strategic Weapon Systems program, Attack Weapon System program, and the Nuclear Weapon Security program. Tasks to be performed include systems engineering and integration, test engineering, data analysis, and safety engineering. This contract award also benefits a foreign military sale to the United Kingdom. Work will be performed in Rockville, Maryland (48.9%); Washington, DC (18.3%); Cape Canaveral, Florida (5.2%); Frederick, Maryland (4.8%); Silverdale, Washington (3.6%); St. Mary’s, Georgia (2.7%); King’s Bay, Georgia (2.4%); York, Pennsylvania (1.8%); Fort Walton Beach, Florida (1.6%); Rochester, United Kingdom (1.2%); Conway, South Carolina (1.0%); and various other locations (less than 1% each, 8.5% total). Work is expected to be completed Sept. 30, 2026. This action is awarded subject to the Availability of Funds. No funds will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was a sole source acquisition pursuant to 10 US Code 2304(c)(1)(4) and was previously synopsized on the System for Award Management (SAM.gov) online portal. Strategic Systems Programs, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity.

CGI Federal Inc., Fairfax, Virginia, is awarded a $17,653,994, firm-fixed-price, with cost reimbursable travel and other direct costs, task order (M6700425F3002) under a multiple award contract (N0017819D7431) via Seaport Next Generation (NXG) for Plans and Data Support Services. This contract provides the full range and depth of logistics services and software systems support for the Marine Corps Preposition Program which includes the Maritime Preposition Forces Program, Marine Corps Preposition Program -Norway, Marine Corps Preposition Program -Philippines, and other locations to be determined in support of the future Prepositioning Network. Work will be performed at Jacksonville, Florida, with an expected completion date of Dec. 31, 2030, if all options are exercised. This task order includes a one-year base and four twelve-month option periods which, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of this contract to $17,653,994. Fiscal 2026 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $2,900,000 has been provided for the base year period. This contract was competitively solicited and procured via the Seaport NXG with three offers received. Blount Island Command, Jacksonville, Florida, is the contracting activity.

Huntington Ingalls Industries, Inc, Newport News, Virgina, was awarded a $91,891,302 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract to provide Aircraft Carrier Engineering Support for the Nimitz-class and Gerald R. Ford-class aircraft carriers. The scope includes but is not limited to engineering, technical, design, integrated logistics support, configuration management, database management and modernization, and ship change document development. This contract includes options which, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of this contract to $471,969,850. Work will be performed in Newport News, Virginia (96%); Portsmouth, Virginia (2%); and Bremerton, Washington (2%), and is expected to be completed by November 2030. If all options are exercised, work will continue through November 2030. Fiscal 2024 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funds in the amount of $10,800; fiscal 2026 operations and maintenance (Navy) funds in the amount of $4,370,000; and fiscal 2026 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy) funds in the amount of $1,300,000, will be obligated at time of award, of which $4,370,000 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. In accordance with 10 U.S. Code 3204 (a)(1), this contract was not competitively procured (only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements). Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity (N00024-26-C-2100).

Akima Facilities Operations LLC, Herndon, Virginia, was awarded a firm-fixed-price, labor hours, and time-and-materials contract to support the repair, reset, and recapitalization of military equipment. The amount of this action is $184,882,445. Bids were solicited via the internet with two received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of May 31, 2029. Army Contracting Command, Letterkenny Army Depot, Pennsylvania, is the contracting activity (W911N2-26-F-A049).

AECOM International Inc., Frankfurt am Main, Germany (W912GB-26-D-0017); AE Alliance JV, Lynchburg, Virginia (W912GB-26-D-0018); Alberto Izzo & Partners SRL, Napoli, Italy (W912GB-26-D-0019); CDM Federal Services Europe JV, Bickenbach, Germany (W912GB-26-D-0020); HDR-Stanley Italy IDC JV, Omaha, Nebraska (W912GB-26-D-0021); and WSP USA Solutions Inc., Washington, DC (W912GB-26-D-0022), will compete for each order of the $45,000,000 firm-fixed-price contract for architecture-engineering services. Bids were solicited via the internet with 16 received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Dec. 31, 2030. US Army Corps of Engineers, Europe District, is the contracting activity.

BAE Systems Land & Armaments LP, Sterling Heights, Michigan, is awarded a $184,400,905 firm-fixed-price modification to a previously awarded contract (M67854-16-C-0006) for amphibious combat vehicles (ACV). The total value of the contract, if all options are exercised, is $3,859,806,117. This contract modification provides for the exercise of options for the procurement of 30 full rate production ACV medium caliber cannon mission role variants and associated production, fielding and support costs, and spares. Work will be performed in York, Pennsylvania (60%); Aiken, South Carolina (15%); San Jose, California (15%); Sterling Heights, Michigan (5%); and Stafford, Virginia (5%) with an expected completion date of March 2028. Fiscal 2026 procurement (Marine Corps) funds in the amount of $184,400,905 will be obligated at the time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Marine Corps Systems Command, Quantico, Virginia, is the contracting activity (M67854-16-C-0006).