USAF to Award CSAR-X Contract

The U.S. Air Force seems to have learned its lessons from the protested Boeing contract and confirmed it is striving to ensure that the current $35-billion contract between Lockheed Martin, Boeing and Sikorsky, for new CSAR-X helos, will run smoothly. USAF officials have said the award would be bestowed this fall, but declined to say whether that would be before the November presidential elections. The plan is to buy 141 new CSAR-X helicopters, plus at least three test aircraft, to replace the current fleet of aging HH-60 helicopters. The protests among competitors have already delayed the fielding of these birds by two years, costing money and perhaps lives. For related news