Tariffs & Trump: Europe Rethinking F-35 Buys
Posted by Java Joe on Thursday, August 14, 2025 · Leave a Comment
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Swiss lawmakers are urging the country’s government to reexamine the purchase of Lockheed Martin F-35 Joint Strike Fighters after US President Donald Trump slapped punitive 39% trade tariffs on the country, reports Aviation Week. Switzerland is acquiring 36 F-35As and has already paid $870 million of the total price tag of then $6.25 billion. Switzerland joins a growing number of European countries where lawmakers are questioning the reliance of the US as a defense and trade partner. Last week, Spain confirmed it was no longer looking at the F-35 for its air force modernization and would spend that money in Europe instead.
Some of the 800 National Guard members deployed by the president began arriving in the nation’s capital on Tuesday, reports Military.com. By mid-week, the extent and duration of the Guard’s presence remained unknown as well as the targets.
Even before Trump’s Monday announcement that he would take over DC policing, over the weekend FBI officers were in areas known for nightlife, reports The Washington Post. Trump said more than 500 federal agents were deployed last week and that the effort will eventually be supplemented by an additional 800 troops from the DC National Guard. This “overwhelming presence” would involve seven federal agencies, including DEA agents at homeless campsites and the US Park Police addressing graffiti in federal parks.
DC Mayor Muriel Bowser acknowledged that local officials could do little to block the expected 30-day takeover of the capital’s policing, reports The New York Times.
The administration is evaluating plans that would establish a “Domestic Civil Disturbance Quick Reaction Force” of hundreds of National Guard troops ready to rapidly deploy into American cities facing protests or other unrest, according to internal Pentagon documents reviewed by The Washington Post. Military.com reports the order gives DefSec Pete Hegseth authority to activate troops at “such numbers as he deems necessary.”
The DoD has begun construction at Fort Bliss, TX, on what defense officials claim will be the largest detention center for detained migrants in the US, ultimately 5,000. Military Times reports, the facility is expected to hold 1,000 people by the end of August.
The Army seeks “digital recruiter” services to help their academy at West Point attract applicants, reports DefenseScoop. The solicitation seeks a vendor to provide “autonomous AI Recruiter services combined with an active high school student network to enhance USMA’s national recruitment strategy.”
United Launch Alliance successfully launched its Vulcan rocket Aug. 12, marking the launch vehicle’s first deployment of 2025 and its first mission for the US Space Force, reports Aviation Week. Liftoff occurred at 8:56pm EDT from Space Launch Complex-41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, FL.
Trump suggested on Monday he might allow Nvidia to sell a scaled-down version of its next-generation advanced GPU chip in China, despite deep-seated fears in Washington that China could harness US artificial intelligence capabilities to supercharge its military, reports Reuters. Critics say the move helps China secure more advanced computing power from the US even as the two countries battled for technology supremacy.
Air India will stop services between the capital cities of India and the US from September 1, citing aircraft shortage due to the planned upgrades to its aging Boeing planes and the closure of Pakistan’s airspace, reports Reuters.
The US and China clashed over the Panama Canal at a UN Security Council meeting this week, where Panama’s President José Raúl Mulino stressed the neutrality of the canal and his country’s ownership of the waterway linking the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. Military.com reports the US warned that Beijing’s influence over the key waterway could threaten global trade and security, and China called the accusations a pretext for the US to take over the canal.
Hegseth reposted a video on X about a Christian nationalist church that included various pastors saying women should no longer be allowed to vote, reports Military Times. Hegseth’s post drew comments agreeing with the pastors in the video as well as comments expressed alarm at the defense secretary promoting Christian nationalist ideas. Military.com reports that after sharing the CNN video about the Communion of Reformed Evangelical Churches, an archconservative network of Christian congregations, Hegseth says he’s proud to be part of CREC.
Laura Loomer criticized Medal of Honor recipient Florent Groberg after an Army social media post celebrated the former captain’s heroism for tackling a suicide bomber in Afghanistan in 2012, reports Task & Purpose. “Are we supposed to believe the Army couldn’t find a Republican and US born soldier?” Loomer posted. Groberg was born in France. Veterans and politicians responded with disdain, including fellow Medal of Honor recipient Dakota Meyer, who posted, Groberg “threw himself in front of a suicide bomber to save lives. What have you done?”
In her series of posts, Loomer, a far-right political activist and close confidant to Trump, included an attack on Army Sec Dan Driscoll, reports Military.com.
Seaman Recruit Kayshawn Wilkerson, assigned to Recruit Training Command at Great Lakes, IL, died Wednesday, reports Military Times. An investigation is underway. ABC7 reported the Lake County coroner saying a male sailor had died at the scene after a “gunfire incident” at 1:45 pm.
The Navy has removed CAPT Russell A. Herrell as commanding officer of the Naval Information Force Reserve Readiness Center, in San Diego, “due to a loss of confidence in his ability to command,” the Navy said in a news release. The service, which did not provide additional information surrounding Herrell’s dismissal, often cites a “loss of confidence” as a blanket reason when relieving senior leaders, reports Military Times. Herrell has been temporarily reassigned to Navy Reserve Center Denver.
Trump is considering removing marijuana as a Schedule 1 drug. The American Legion and Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America are among the veterans groups urging the reclassification, allowing doctors to prescribe cannabis to treat pain and other ailments experienced by former service members, reports Stars and Stripes. Marijuana remains illegal under federal law although 40 states, DC, and four US territories allow adults to obtain prescriptions for cannabis from medical doctors.
While some lawmakers have raised concerns that remaining members of the Department of Government Efficiency have “burrowed in” to their agencies by converting to career roles, NextGov/FCW reports, all remaining staff affiliated with the cost-cutting and modernization entity remain in political appointments. The conversion would have allowed employees eligible to remain in their jobs indefinitely, rather than leaving at the end of Trump’s term.
The European Union will allocate an additional $1.75 billion to support Ukraine, using profits generated from frozen Russian assets held in the EU, reports United24 Media.
Families of Israeli hostages kept captive in Gaza are calling for a nationwide general strike next Sunday, in protest of the Israeli security cabinet’s recent decision to expand the war and take over Gaza City, reports CNN.
Israel’s targeted killing of an Al Jazeera correspondent in Gaza over the weekend was noteworthy even for a conflict remarkably blood-soaked for journalists, leaving some experts to marvel that any news at all emerges from the territory, says AP News.
There is still time to view the Perseids, considered the best meteor shower of the year. Through August 23, about 50 to 100 meteors can be seen per hour, reports NASA. The Perseids are swift and bright meteors that frequently leave long “wakes” of light and color. They’re best viewed in the Northern Hemisphere during the pre-dawn hours, though at times it is possible to view meteors from this shower as early as 10pm.
WalletHub has found Maryland, overall, has the best community college system in the US.
Contracts:
Aleut Management Services LLC, Colorado Springs Colorado, was awarded a $50,000,000 firm-fixed-price contract for base maintenance. This contract provides for base maintenance and sustainment of Air Force Real Property and Real Property Installed Equipment. Work will be performed at Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia, and is expected to be completed by Aug. 10, 2030. This contract was a competitive acquisition and three offers were received. Fiscal 2025 operations and maintenance appropriations funds in the amount of below $50,000,000 are being obligated at time of award. The 633rd Contracting Squadron, Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Hampton, Virginia, is the contracting activity (FA4800-25-C-0009).
General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc., Poway, California, is awarded a $35,114,050 cost-plus-fixed-fee order (N0001925F0024) against a previously issued basic ordering agreement (N0001922G0006). This order provides engineering and logistics support to include program management, spares analyst, non-standard maintenance, engineering investigation, mishap investigation support, configuration change management support, production and sustainment diminishing manufacturing supply and material shortage support, airworthiness certification support, cybersecurity and network support, software modification and maintenance support, mission system and sensor payload modification integration solutions and support, reliability and maintainability analysis, trade studies and data management services in support of the successful operational capability for the MQ-9A Reaper Marine Air Ground Task Force Expeditionary Medium Altitude Long Endurance Unmanned Aerial System. Work will be performed in Poway, California (42%); Yuma, Arizona (13%); Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii (11%); Patuxent River, Maryland (7%); Cherry Point, North Carolina (7%); and various locations outside the continental U.S. (20%), and is expected to be completed in August 2026. Fiscal 2025 operations and maintenance (Navy) funds in the amount of $17,211,330; and fiscal 2025 aircraft procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $3,478,700, will be obligated at the time of award, $17,211,330 of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This order was not competed. Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity.
CACI Inc., Chantilly, Virginia (HTC71125DE120), has been awarded an indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract with a total cumulative face value of $1,640,000,000. Funds will be allocated on individual task orders. The contract provides technical support services to field and sustain the Joint Transportation Management System at Scott Air Force Base, Illinois. The base period of performance is from Aug. 12, 2025, through Aug. 11, 2035. The US Transportation Command, Directorate of Acquisition, Scott AFB, Illinois, is the contracting activity.
Delphinus, Newton Square, Pennsylvania (N00104-25-D-B501); Epsilon, Portsmouth, Virginia (N00104-25-D-B601); and Oceaneering, Chesapeake, Virginia (N00104-25-D-B701), are being awarded a $86,000,000 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, multiple award contract for the repair of valves and actuators within the corporate component repair program for Virginia-class and Los Angeles-class submarines. Each contract contains a provision for three option years. Work will be completed by August 2027. All work will be performed in various contractor facilities identified at task order level that cannot be determined at this time. Working capital funds (Navy) in the amount of $1,500 will be obligated ($500 on each of the three contracts) to fund the contracts’ minimum amount, and funds will not expire at the end of the fiscal year. These contracts were procured through full and open competition with five offers received. Naval Supply Systems Command Weapon Systems Support, Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, is the contracting activity.
Lockheed Martin Rotary and Mission Systems, Moorestown, New Jersey, is awarded a $16,182,918 cost-plus-award-fee modification to previously awarded contract (N00024-23-C-5117) to exercise option items supporting systems engineering and software integration for the integrated combat system across the surface force portfolio of the Navy and Coast Guard. Work will be performed in Moorestown, New Jersey (41%); Columbia, Maryland (30%); Norfolk, Virginia (7%); Middletown, Rhode Island (6%); College Park, Maryland (5%); Mount Laurel, New Jersey (4%); Huntsville, Alabama (3%); Wallops Island, Virginia (1%); Arlington, Virginia (1%); San Diego, California (1%); and Herndon, Virginia (1%), and is expected to be completed by September, 2025. Fiscal 2025 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy) funds in the amount of $10,751,464 (77%); fiscal 2024 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy) funds in the amount of $1,416,615 (10%); fiscal 2025 weapon procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $1,350,000 (10%); fiscal 2024 weapon procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $166,102 (1%); fiscal 2024 other procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $115,156 (1%); fiscal 2023 weapon procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $50,195 (<1%); and fiscal 2023 other procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $29,527 (<1%), will be obligated at time of award and funds in the amount of $29,527 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, DC, is the contracting activity.
Pacific Maritime Industries Corp., San Diego, California (N0018925D0027); Quality Metal Works Inc., New Orleans, Louisiana (N0018925D0028); and Atlantic Fabrication & Boiler Services, Portsmouth, Virginia (N0018925D0033), are being awarded a $13,000,000 multiple award, fixed-fee, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract that will include terms and conditions for the placement of firm-fixed-price task orders, to provide commander, Mid-Atlantic Regional Maintenance Command lightweight modular berth, related material, and replacement parts in support of the Shipboard Habitability Improvement Program. Each of the three contracts will run concurrently and will include a 60-month base ordering period with a six-month option period. The ordering period is expected to begin August 2025 and be completed by August 2030; if the option is exercised, work will be completed by February 2031. Work will be performed in San Diego, California; New Orleans, Louisiana; and Portsmouth, Virginia, and percentage of work cannot be determined at this time. Fiscal 2025 operation and maintenance (Navy) funds in the amount of $1,500 will be obligated ($500 on each of the three contracts) to fund the contracts’ minimum amount, and funds will expire at the end of the fiscal year. Individual task orders will be subsequently funded with appropriate fiscal year appropriations at the time of their issuance. The requirement was competitively procured under a small business set-aside pursuant to Federal Acquisition Regulation 16.504 with one offer received. Naval Supply Systems Command Fleet Logistics Center Norfolk, Contracting Department, Norfolk, Virginia, is the contracting activity.
CORRECTION: The $43,202,330 firm-fixed-price, cost-plus-fixed fee, and cost-reimbursable no fee, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract awarded to CACI NSS LLC, Reston, Virginia (FA8555-25-D-B001), announced on Aug. 7, 2025, was announced with the wrong award date. The correct award date is Aug. 11, 2025.
Accenture Federal Services LLC, Arlington, Virginia, was awarded a $35,484,050 modification (P00062) to contract W52P1J-21-C-0025 to exercise Option Year Four of the Enterprise Task Management Software Solution. The modification brings the total cumulative face value of the contract to $250,804,312. Work will be performed in Fort Belvoir, Virginia, with an estimated completion date of Aug. 14, 2026. Fiscal 2025 operation and maintenance, Army funds in the amount of $35,484,050 were obligated at the time of the award. Army Contracting Command, Rock Island, Illinois, is the contracting activity.
Nemean Solutions LLC, Sierra Vista, Arizona, is awarded a $56,769,968 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract to provide Contractor Support Services in support of Program Executive Officer Land Systems business and acquisition related activities to include acquisition policy, program development, program analysis, public affairs, acquisition logistics management support, financial management support, audit readiness support, engineering and safety support. Work will be performed in Quantico, Virginia (96%); and Albany, Georgia (4%), and is expected to be completed in August 2030. No funds will be obligated at time of award. Funds will be obligated on individual task orders as they are issued. This contract was not competitively procured pursuant to Federal Acquisition Regulation 19.8, Contracting with the Small Business Administration (8(a) Program). The Marine Corps Systems Command, Quantico, Virginia, is the contracting activity (M67854-25-D-0004).
Rockwell Collins Simulation and Training Solutions, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, is awarded a $16,027,070 modification (P00034) to a previously awarded firm-fixed-price contract (N6134021C0017). This modification adds in-scope production and testing of Special Programs Advanced Readiness Trainer Afloat/Ashore (SPARTA) 12, to include updates and compliance of SPARTA 12 as well as SPARTA Joint Simulation Environment/Global Reuseable Interface Domain and associated program support. Additionally, this modification exercises options for Simulated Maintenance Trainer 2 (SMT-2) Delta Software System Configuration 5 (DSSC-5) concurrency, as well as technical data and computer software in support of SMT-2 hardware and software baseline to DSSC-5. The modification also exercises options for the production and delivery of six flight aircraft flight management computer functional equivalent units. These efforts are in support of the E-2D Hawkeye Integrated Training Systems for the Navy. Work will be performed in Sterling, Virginia (60%); Norfolk, Virginia (30%); Point Mugu, California (5%); and Orlando, Florida (5%), and is expected to be completed in August 2027. Fiscal 2025 aircraft procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $13,171,919; and fiscal 2023 aircraft procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $2,855,151, will be obligated at the time of award, $2,855,151 of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This modification was not competed. Naval Air Warfare Center Training Systems Division, Orlando, Florida, is the contracting activity.
HII Fleet Support Group LLC, Virginia, is awarded a $10,984,857 cost-plus-fixed-fee delivery order (N62793-25-F-7406) as part of a previously awarded contract (N00024-21-D-4114) to provide execution for the USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74) refueling complex overhaul and carrier engineering maintenance assist team support. Work includes assistance for preparation, evaluation, and execution of repairs as well as technical guidance for maintenance execution and repairs. This contract, where specified, will provide “hands on” instruction in fault identification and application of current maintenance and repair techniques in accordance with the contract. Work will be performed in Newport News, Virginia, and is expected to be completed in August 2026. Fiscal 2025 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) cost to complete funding in the amount of $10,984,857 was obligated at time of award and will expire at the end of the period of performance. Supervisor of Shipbuilding, Conversion and Repair, Newport News, Virginia, is the contracting activity.
Filed under Leader Features, Morning Coffee · Tagged with Air India, Alyssa-Gene Deato, Christian Nationalists, Communion of Reformed Evangelical Churches, CREC, Dan Driscoll, DEA, Florent Grobert, Kayshawn Wilkerson, Laura Loomer, Mayor Muriel Bowser, Panama’s President José Raúl Mulino, Perseids, Pugent Sound Naval Shipyard, US Park Police, USCGC Storis
