Secretive Space Plane Releases Photo of Earth
An X-37B onboard camera, used to ensure the health and safety of the vehicle, captures an image of Earth while conducting experiments in a highly elliptical orbit in 2024. As part of the X-37B’s seventh mission, the vehicle executed a series of first-of-its-kind maneuvers, called aerobraking, to safely change its orbit using minimal fuel. (US Space Force Courtesy Photo)
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“Earthrise,” photo by astronaut William Anders from Apollo 8.
There are few specifics about what the military’s X-37B space plane has been doing, says Task & Purpose, but the view is pretty good based on the single photo the Space Force released last week, showing part of the robotic space plane and a detailed look at the Earth reminiscent of astronaut William Anders’ “Earthrise” picture.
DefSec Pete Hegseth wants to reduce the DoD’s civilian workforce by 5% to 8%, reports Air & Space Forces Magazine. The Pentagon has some 878,000 civilian employees — a 5% cut represents around 43,900 employees, an 8% cut more than 70,000. About 5,400 probationary workers will be fired starting this week, followed by a hiring freeze as acting undersecretary of defense for personnel and readiness Darin Selnick evaluates personnel needs.
The Department of Veterans Affairs axed another 1,400 workers Monday, just two weeks after firing 1,000 staff members who had worked for less than two years in their jobs. Stars and Stripes reports employees who lost their jobs in this second round of cuts were in “non-mission critical” positions that included roles promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, the VA said. Targeted for dismissal Monday were union workers who the VA described as bargaining-unit employees. They were probationary workers who were in competitive service and excepted service appointments.
The national leader of the Veterans of Foreign Wars criticized the ongoing mass layoffs of government employees, arguing that veterans — who account for nearly one-third of the federal workforce — are disproportionately affected, reports Military Times.
With a 217-215 party-line vote, the House on Tuesday adopted a budget blueprint that adds $100 billion in defense in the next decade while slashing federal spending elsewhere and extending $4.5 trillion in tax cuts. The framework for the House budget is part of a Republican effort to use a process called reconciliation to circumvent Democratic opposition and pass a massive financial package without needing 60 votes in the Senate, reports Stars and Stripes.
Hegseth said Monday that he was replacing the top lawyers for the military services because he didn’t think they were “well-suited” to provide recommendations when lawful orders are given, reports AP News. Trump on Friday abruptly fired the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Air Force GEN CQ Brown Jr. Hegseth followed that by firing Navy ADM Lisa Franchetti, the chief of naval operations, and Air Force GEN James Slife, the vice chief of the Air Force. He also said he was “requesting nominations” for the jobs of judge advocate general, or JAG, for the Army, Navy and Air Force.
Current military lawyers and legal experts told Military.com the administration’s firings of the Air Force, Army, and Navy’s top judge advocates general politicizes and sets an alarming precedent for a crucial job in the military, all as President Donald Trump has mused about using the military in unorthodox and potentially illegal ways.
Prior to the firings, a bipartisan group of House lawmakers petitioned Hegseth for more transparency in any future decisions involving the dismissal of senior uniformed leaders, saying the process must avoid political undertones to preserve the sanctity of the military, reports Military Times.
Stephen Feinberg, Trump’s nominee for deputy defense secretary, declined Tuesday to say whether Russia invaded Ukraine and deflected questions from senators about planned cuts to the Pentagon’s civilian workforce, reports Stars and Stripes. Feinberg twice refused during his confirmation hearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee to answer whether Russia invaded Ukraine. Hegseth also dodged that question Sunday on Fox News and said, “It’s a very complicated situation.”
Defense One reports that Feinberg told the committee, the Pentagon needs to “find ways” through rapid or sole-source contracting mechanisms to bring on manufacturing companies, like General Motors or Ford, that can scale and operate to give them a leg up over traditional defense prime contractors. “I would go to big manufacturing companies, give them a shot on new problems if we think their capabilities can meet it … to give them a shot without a wide-scale competition with all our big defense companies, which, by the way, are too consolidated,” Feinberg said.
Feinberg, nominated to the second-highest official at the DoD, is co-founder of private equity firm Cerberus Capital Management, with a personal net worth in the billions, reports Military Times. On Tuesday, the Senate Armed Services Committee began consideration of his nomination and on Thursday, today, will consider the nomination of John Pehlan to be Navy secretary. Like Feinberg, Phelan is the founder of a private investment firm and has no previous military service.
The Senate on Tuesday confirmed Daniel Driscoll, a third-generation soldier and businessman who served in the Iraq War, to lead the largest military branch as Army secretary, reports Stars and Stripes. Senators voted 66-28 to confirm Driscoll for the position, which puts him in charge of overseeing the Army’s $200 billion budget and a force of more than 1 million soldiers and civilians. Six senators did not vote.
More than 200 additional troops deployed last week to Naval Base Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, to support the detention of migrants at the facility. The additional troops increased the force there to about 1,000. The new troops are largely logistics-focused forces meant to facilitate feeding and housing the other troops, according to Stars and Stripes.
While up to 1,100 service members are deployed to Guantanamo, according to Military Times, Immigration and Customs Enforcement announced that 177 Venezuelan migrants had left the Navy base for Honduras “for pickup by the Venezuelan government, which returned them to their home country,” ICE said on social media Thursday. That meant all migrants previously sent to the Guantanamo Bay base for detention had been transferred off the installation, a move also confirmed by another defense official on Friday.
The former US Digital Service, now DOGE, saw the resignations of 21 employees on Tuesday, writing in a public resignation letter that “we will not lend our expertise to carry out or legitimize DOGE’s actions.” NextGov reports Elon Musk — whose leadership of DOGE has been both confirmed and denied by the White House — started re-interviewing legacy USDS employees. “Several of these interviewers refused to identify themselves, asked questions about political loyalty, attempted to pit colleagues against each other, and demonstrated limited technical ability,” the resignation letter reads. “This process created significant security risks.”
The White House on Tuesday afternoon identified Amy Gleason as the acting leader of DOGE, a low-profile executive who has expertise in health care technology and worked in the first Trump administration, reports AP News.
Musk’s SpaceX is seeking to deploy Starlink satellite internet terminals to accelerate an upgrade of the information technology networks that support the FAA’s national airspace system, reports Military.com. The effort raises questions about conflicts of interest for Musk’s business empire and the future of a $2 billion contract awarded in 2023 to Verizon Communications Inc. to upgrade the critical infrastructure.
The Office of Personnel Management’s procurement unit is no longer able to process contracting opportunities and halted all related operations after a “complete reduction in force” in the agency’s Office of Procurement Operations, according to an internal email viewed by Nextgov/FCW. “[A]ll new procurement actions, contract modifications, and ongoing solicitations are effectively stalled until alternative solutions are identified,” said the email sent Tuesday morning by Shreena Morris, who leads the office.
The US Marine Corps scaled back its number of MV-22 Ospreys from 24 to 20 on Okinawa, Japan, in 2024 as part of an overhauling effort for the aircraft, according to a Marine Corps spokesperson. Marine Times reports the change was outlined in the 2025 Marine Aviation Plan, released earlier this month, which noted a reduction in tiltrotor squadrons across the service from 12 to 10.
Maryland Gov. Wes Moore, after a meeting at the White House with the National Governors Association, said an interaction between Trump and the roughly four dozen governors in attendance ended any thoughts he may have harbored about working with the president, reports Maryland Matters. The first-term Democrat said Maryland and other states must rise to the threat of massive layoffs and slash-and-burn federal budgeting coming from the administration.
US District Judge Trevor McFadden, an appointee of Trump’s first term, on Monday declined to restore The Associated Press’s access to certain spaces open to the media at the White House, including the Oval Office amid the Trump administration’s battle against the wire service over its refusal to use “Gulf of America” in its popular stylebook, reports The Hill. McFadden called for additional briefing on the matter “given the stakes” for both parties. He set an expedited schedule and ordered arguments on a preliminary injunction for March 20.
On Tuesday, the Trump White House announced that the administration — not an independent group of journalists — will determine which outlets have access to the president as part of a pool allowed into the Oval Office, aboard Air Force One, and into other otherwise closed meetings and events, reports Pollitico.
Chinese President Xi Jinping affirmed his “no limits” partnership in a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday, reports NBC News. The call appeared aimed at dispelling any prospect that Trump’s outreach to Russia for a quick deal to end the Ukraine war could drive a wedge between Xi and Putin, who underscored the durability and “long-term” nature of their alliance that would not be impacted by any “third party.”
China’s large, jet-powered, twin-fuselage WZ-9 Divine Eagle drone has been operating, at least sporadically, out of an airbase on the highly strategic Hainan Island at the northern end of the hotly contested South China Sea since at least Dec. 4. This is a new indication that this highly important aircraft is now at least in a semi-operational state, reports The Warzone.
Contracts:
Air Combat Effectiveness Consulting Group LLC, Lexington Park, Maryland (N0042125D0033); AM Pierce and Associates Inc., California, Maryland (N0042125D0034); American Electronic Warfare Associates Inc., California, Maryland (N0042125D0035); C4CJV LLC, Burke, Virginia (N0042125D0036); Compendium Federal Technology, LLC, Lexington Park, Maryland (N0042125D0037); CRL Technologies Inc., Lexington Park, Maryland (N0042125D0038); Coherent Technical Services Inc., Hollywood, Maryland (N0042125D0039); Eagle Systems Inc., California, Maryland (N0042125D0040); Fusion 2 Inc., Leonardtown, Maryland (N0042125D0041); Greenfield Engineering Corp., Leonardtown, Maryland (N0042125D0042); Global Technologies Management Resources Inc., Hollywood, Maryland (N0042125D0043); Innovation Integration Inc., Huntsville, Alabama (N0042125D0044); Render Security Engineering LLC, California, Maryland (N0042125D0045); Tekla Research Inc., Lexington Park, Maryland (N0042125D0046); Technology Security Associates Inc., California, Maryland (N0042125D0047); Sabre Systems LLC, Warminster, Pennsylvania (N0042125D0052); American Systems Corp., Chantilly, Virginia (N0042125D0053); Aviation Systems Engineering Co., Inc., Lexington Park, Maryland (N0042125D0054); AVIAN LLC, Lexington Park, Maryland (N0042125D0055); BAE Systems Technology Solutions and Services Inc., Rockville, Maryland (N0042125D0056); Booz Allen Hamilton, McLean, Virginia (N0042125D0057); DCS Corp., Alexandria, Virginia (N0042125D0058); Epsilon C5I Inc., San Diego, California (N0042125D0059); FGS LLC, La Plata, Maryland (N0042125D0060); Indigenous Technologies, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma (N0042125D0061); J.F. Taylor Inc., Great Mills, Maryland (N0042125D0062); KBR Wyle Services LLC, Lexington Park, Maryland (N0042125D0063); MAG DS Corp., doing business as MAG Aerospace, Fairfax, Virginia (N0042125D0064); ManTech Advanced Systems International Inc., Herndon, Virginia (N0042125D0065); The MIL Corp., Bowie, Maryland (N0042125D0066); Modern Technology Solutions Inc., Alexandria, Virginia (N0042125D0067); Naval Systems Inc., Lexington Park, Maryland (N0042125D0068); Precise Systems Inc., Lexington Park, Maryland (N0042125D0069); Resource Management Concepts Inc., Lexington Park, Maryland (N0042125D0070); Scientific Research Corp., Atlanta, Georgia (N0042125D0071); Serco Inc., Herndon, Virginia (N0042125D0072); Smartronix LLC, Hollywood, Maryland (N0042125D0073); Systems Planning and Analysis Inc., Alexandria, Virginia (N0042125D0074); Tyto Government Solutions Inc., Herndon, Virginia (N0042125D0076); Zel Technologies LLC, Hampton, Virginia (N0042125D0077); and Tecolote Research Inc., Goleta California (N0042125D0078), are each awarded a cost-plus-fixed-fee, cost reimbursable, firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract, with specific contract line item number contract types specified on the individual orders. The estimated aggregate ceiling for all contracts is $249,000,000 with the companies having an opportunity to compete for individual orders. These contracts procure support services at multiple classification levels, up to and to include top secret//sensitive compartmented information to support all aspects of the acquisition life cycle for various platforms and programs within the Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) Enterprise, subordinate NAVAIR commands, and Program Executive Offices. Work will be performed in Patuxent River, Maryland, and various locations within the continental US, to include contractor facilities. Specific locations and percentages of work will be determined at award of individual orders and is expected to be completed in February 2030. No funds will be obligated at the time of award; funds will be obligated on individual orders as they are issued. These contracts were competitively procured; 43 offers were received. The Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity.
International Business Machines Corp., Bethesda, Maryland, will be awarded a modification (P00005) to the previously awarded call order HQ042324F0074 in the amount of $10,412,226 (ceiling price) for code conversion for Defense Retired and Annuitant Pay System modernization and consolidation. The modification brings the total cumulative face value of the order from $2,447,544 to $12,859,770. Work will be performed from the contractor’s facility with an expected completion date of Aug. 31, 2025. Fiscal 2025 capital funds in the amount of $10,412,226 are being obligated at the time of award. The Defense Finance and Accounting Service, Contract Services Directorate, Columbus, Ohio, is the contracting activity.
Blind Industries & Services of Maryland, Baltimore, Maryland, has been awarded a maximum $9,798,000 modification (P00014) exercising the fourth one-year option period of a one-year base contract (SPE1C1-21-D-B107) with four one-year option periods for cold weather wind jackets. This is a firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract. The ordering period end date is Feb. 25, 2026. Using military service is Army. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2025 through 2026 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Science Applications International Corp., Reston, Virginia, was awarded an $8,149,694 modification (P00150) to contract W31P4Q-21-F-0095 for hardware in the loop and modeling and simulation development support. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of June 30, 2026. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, is the contracting activity.
A&M BERS JV LLC, Tulsa, Oklahoma (FA8903-25-D-0023, awarded Jan. 27, 2025); Ahtna Engineering Services, Anchorage, Alaska (FA8903-25-D-0014, awarded Jan. 22, 2025); Arcadis US Inc. Highlands Ranch, Colorado (FA8903-25-D-0025, awarded Jan. 29, 2025); AECOM Technical Services Inc. Austin, Texas (FA8903-25-D-0002, awarded Jan. 23, 2025); Aerostar SES LLC. Oak Ridge, Tennessee (FA8903-25-D-0026, awarded Jan. 9, 2025); BEM Systems Inc. Madison, New Jersey (FA8903-25-D-0022, awarded Jan. 29, 2025); Bhate Environmental Associates Inc. Birmingham, Alabama (FA8903-25-D-0024, awarded Jan. 23, 2025); Cape-Weston JV4 LLC, Norcross, Georgia (FA8903-25-D-0013, awarded Feb. 3, 2025); CTI Ayuda JV LLC, Farmington Hills, Michigan (FA8903-25-D-0028, awarded Feb. 6, 2025); EA Engineering, Science, and Technology Inc. PBC, Hunt Valley, Maryland (FA8903-25-D-0009, awarded Feb. 4, 2025); HDR Environmental, Operations, and Construction, Inc., Englewood, Colorado (FA8903-25-D-0021, awarded Jan. 29, 2025); HGL-APTIM Technologies JV LLC, Reston, Virginia (FA8903-25-D-0012, awarded Feb. 4, 2025); Jacobs Government Services Co., Arlington, Virginia (FA8903-25-D-0027, awarded Feb. 4, 2025); Leidos Inc., Reston, Virginia (FA8903-25-D-0001, awarded Jan. 22, 2025); North Wind Site Services LLC, Idaho Falls, Idaho (FA8903-25-D-0019, awarded Feb. 6, 2025); Oneida Total Integrated Enterprises LLC, Milwaukee, Wisconsin (FA8903-25-D-0020, awarded Feb. 6, 2025); Parsons Government Services LLC, Milwaukee, Wisconsin (FA8903-25-D-0018, awarded Feb. 4, 2025); Plexus-Seres JV LLC, Alexandria, Virginia (FA8903-25-D-0007 awarded Feb. 6, 2025); QRI Tetra Tech JV LLC, Baton Rouge, Louisiana (FA8903-25-D-0003 awarded Feb. 18, 2025); Stantec-Michael Baker-Sundance JV, Charlottesville, Virginia (FA8903-25-D-0005, awarded Feb. 19, 2025); Tanaq-MES 8(a) JV LLC, Anchorage, Alaska (FA8903-25-D-0010, awarded Feb. 11, 2025); Tehama Versar JV, Kansas City, Missouri (FA8903-25-D-0015, awarded Feb. 6, 2025); Tetra Tech Inc., Pasadena, California (FA8903-25-D-0004, awarded Feb. 6, 2025); Tidewater-PHE JV LLC, Elkridge, Maryland (FA8903-25-D-0008, awarded Feb. 6, 2025); Trihydro Corp., Laramie, Wyoming (FA8903-25-D-0006, awarded Feb. 18, 2025); Weston-CDM Smith JV, West Chester, Pennsylvania (FA8903-25-D-0017, awarded Feb. 6, 2025); and WSP USA Environment & Infrastructure Inc., Blue Bell, Pennsylvania (FA8903-25-D-0016, awarded Feb. 4, 2025), were awarded a $1,500,000,000 hybrid, firm-fixed-price, firm, cost-no-fee, and cost-plus-fixed-fee, multiple award, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for architect and engineering (A-E) services. This contract provides for support of environmental restoration, environmental conservation and planning, environmental quality, and other related environmental A-E services for Department of Defense and other government agency facilities worldwide. This contract is comprised of a base ordering period of five years with a single five-year option period for an ordering period of ten years. Work will be performed in various locations inside and outside the contiguous US is expected to be completed March 5, 2035. These contracts were competitive acquisitions, and 32 offers were received. Fiscal 2025 operation and maintenance funds in the amount of $36,000; and fiscal 2025 base realignment and closure funds in the amount of $45,000 ($3,000 per awardee), are being obligated at time of award. The 772nd Enterprise Sourcing Squadron, Joint Base San Antonio Lackland, Texas, is the contracting activity.
Envision Technology LLC., Roanoke, Virginia, is awarded a $249,000,000 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for the procurement of Squad Aiming Laser systems; Spare and Repair Parts; Contractor Logistics Support; and Test Article Refurbishment. Work will be performed in Manchester, New Hampshire, and is expected to be completed by February 2030. Fiscal 2025 research, development, test and engineering (Marine Corps) funds in the amount of $74,970 that will not expire until fiscal 2026; and fiscal 2025 procurement (Marine Corps) funds in the amount of $52,281,154 that will not expire until fiscal 2027, will be obligated on the first delivery order immediately following contract award. This contract was competitively procured via SAM.gov, with three offers received. Marine Corps System Command, Quantico, Virginia, is the contracting activity (M67854-25-D-1014).
General Dynamics Applied Physical Sciences Corp., Groton, Connecticut, was awarded a $14,006,598 modification (P00011) to cost-plus-fixed-fee contract HR001123C0054 for the Advanced Propulsor, Experimental model. The modification brings the total cumulative value of the contract from $38,238,129 to $52,244,727. Work will be performed in Groton, Connecticut (37%); Concord, Massachusetts (19%); Leander, Texas (18%); Imperial, Pennsylvania (8%); Arlington, Virginia (7%); Cheswick, Pennsylvania (7%); and San Antonio, Texas (4%), with an expected completion date of March 2026. Fiscal 2025 research, development, test and engineering funds in the amount of $5,271,524 were obligated at time of award. This contract stems from a competitive acquisition for which three proposals were received in response to Broad Agency Announcement No. HR001122S0046. The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, Arlington, Virginia, is the contracting activity.
Huntington Ingalls Industries, Newport News Shipbuilding, Newport News, Virginia, was awarded $8,208,962 in a cost-plus-fixed-fee modification order to a previously awarded contract (N00024-02-C-2905) for the procurement of universal pylons with the ability to be mounted on host ships. The order is definitized for a value of $8,208,962. Work was performed in Newport News, Virginia. No funds were obligated at time of award. Supervisor of Shipbuilding Conversion and Repair, Newport News, Virginia, is the contracting activity. (Awarded Dec. 19, 2024)
Agile Group LLC, Albuquerque, New Mexico (W912HQ-25-D-0001); Breakpoint Labs LLC, Herndon, Virginia (W912HQ-25-D-0002); Crystal Management LLC, Vienna, Virginia (W912HQ-25-D-0003); Mantech Advanced Systems International Inc., Herndon, Virginia (W912HQ-25-D-0004); 22nd Century Technologies Inc., Mclean, Virginia (W912HQ-25-D-0005); and OM Group Inc., Piscataway, New Jersey (W912HQ-25-D-0006), will compete for each order of the $47,600,000 firm-fixed-price contract for project and program management delivery services. Bids were solicited via the internet with eight received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of March 2, 2030. US Army Corps of Engineers’ Humphreys Engineer Center Support Activity, Fort Belvoir, Virginia, is the contracting activity.
LinQuest Corp., Herndon, Virginia, has been awarded a $88,450,427 cost-plus-incentive-fee modification (P00107) to a previously awarded contract (FA8808-19-C-0006) to exercise Option Year Five for systems engineering, integration, and test support. The modification brings the total cumulative face value of the contract to $763,838,845. Work will be performed in El Segundo, California, and is expected to be completed by Feb. 26, 2026. Fiscal 2025 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $11,893,618; and fiscal 2025 missile procurement funds in the amount of $8,856,877, are being obligated at the time of award. The Space Systems Command, Los Angeles Air Force Base, California, is the contracting activity.
Aurora Flight Sciences Corp., Manassas, Virginia, has been awarded a $24,992,979 modification (P00015) to cost-plus-fixed-fee contract HR001123C0013 to add Phase 1C work of the Liberty Lifter program. The modification brings the total cumulative face value of the contract to $67,499,597 from $42,506,618. Work will be performed in Manassas, Virginia (67%); Arlington, Virginia (24%); Auburn Hills, Michigan (4%); Fairhope, Alabama (2%); Wilmington, Delaware (2%); and Indianapolis, Indiana (1%), with an estimated completion date of October 2025. Fiscal 2025 research and development funds in the amount of $8,660,000 are being obligated at the time of award. The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, Arlington, Virginia, is the contracting activity.
