The Air Force has released its list of preferred beddown locations for the new combat search and rescue aircraft, currently dubbed CSAR-X, to replace its fleet of HH-60 helicopters. The sites are a mix of active and reserve facilities: Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz.; Kulis ANGB or Elmendorf AFB in Alaska; Gabreski Airport, N.Y.; Kirtland AFB, N.M.; Moffett Federal Airfield, Calif.; Moody AFB, Ga.; Nellis AFB, Nev.; Patrick AFB, Fla.; and one overseas location. Today’s announcement opens the start of environmental assessment process for each location. Air Force Special Operations Command revised its plans earlier this year to put more capability in the initial aircraft and now expects to award a contract this fall. AFSOC would receive the first CSAR-X in 2010.
The Space Force is playing midwife to a new ecosystem of commercial satellite constellations providing alternatives to the service’s own Global Positioning Service from much closer to the Earth, making their signals more accurate and harder to jam.