On the Government Accountability Office’s recent repudiation of the Air Force’s attempt to revisit the combat search and rescue helicopter replacement program, the GAO did not fault the way the service wanted to evaluate operating and support costs. However, it did fault the service for “unreasonably” limiting responses to its revised request for proposals, according to a summary of its decision. The GAO recommends that USAF “permit offerors to revise both the cost/price and non-cost/price aspects of their proposals.” GAO acknowledges that its recommendation is a “significant change” that “could delay the acquisition,” but it stands by its decision.
RTX’s Raytheon unit was able to “significantly” extend the range of the AIM-120 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile using mostly software changes in experimental tests last year, expanding the reach and lethality of the standard U.S. dogfighting weapon, company officials said Sept. 15.
