The Air Force has taken in stride the new protests over its combat search and rescue helicopter replacement program. Lockheed Martin filed a protest June 8 and Sikorsky filed one June 18, but both companies also filed their new submissions for the revised CSAR-X request for proposals on time to meet the June 19 deadline. USAF provided a 13-page response to contractor questions during the second round, rebuffing all criticism. In Washington, the Air Force’s military deputy for acquisition, Lt. Gen. Donald Hoffman said in a statement: “Protests are part of the acquisition process. … The Air Force feels we have correctly adjusted the RFP to satisfy [Government Accountability Office] guidance and concerns.” The service has asked the GAO to use its “express option and expedited procedures to resolve this protest,” stated Hoffman.
Pentagon Releases Cost of Living, BAH Rates for 2026
Dec. 30, 2025
The Pentagon will pay cost of living allowances to 127,000 service members in the continental U.S. in 2026, an increase of 66,000 members in 2025. Airmen and Guardians across the U.S. will also receive an average increase of 4.2 percent for their Basic Housing Allowance, compared to the 5.4 percent…
