Morgan said that the Air Force built its CSAR-X requirements document by studying hundreds of missions, such as the one flown by the 2004 Mackay Trophy winners. At bottom line, he said, the objective is to get an “achievable” requirement, so USAF also talked extensively with defense companies. The HH-60 can carry one non-ambulatory survivor, but the CSAR-X, per the Joint Staff, must transport up to four initially. A future version should carry up to six, said Morgan. USAF also wants the CSAR-X to have defensive weapons covering all “quadrants” of the aircraft. Another key parameter is the aircraft’s combat radius, which for the HH-60 is 160 nautical miles with a 30-minute window on scene. The service expects a Block 10 CSAR-X to have a range of 320 nm with a 30-minute loiter time. (Read more here.)
The Pentagon agency charged with building and operating U.S. spy satellites recently declassified some details about a Cold War-era surveillance program called Jumpseat—a revelation it says sheds light on the importance of satellite imaging technology and how it has advanced in the decades since.
