Air Force officials say the service plans to purchase 141 combat search and rescue aircraft—called CSAR-X, for now—to replace its current force of 101 HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopters. Lt. Col. Dave Morgan, CSAR program element monitor, told reporters that USAF had released a formal request for proposal and expected to announce a contract award in May. The program is valued at $10 billion.
The Air Force has finished modifying and testing the new VC-25B Bridge aircraft that will serve as a temporary Air Force One, the service announced May 1. All that’s left now is to finish painting the jet before it starts flying this summer.