Just after telling Reuters news service that it would make the CSAR-X contract award next month, the Air Force has once more delayed a decision on the award—now pushed up to November, reports Gannett News Service. The reason given: The Air Force needs more time to consider the aircraft bids. Gannett says that now the project won’t make the Defense Acquisition Board calendar until October. Considering Ken Krieg, Pentagon acquisition guru, already has blessed the combat search and rescue helicopter replacement program, we would expect it to sail right through.
As Air Force leaders consider concepts of operations for Collaborative Combat Aircraft, sustainment in the field—and easing that support by using standard parts and limiting variants—should be a key consideration, according to a new study from AFA's Mitchell Institute of Aerospace Studies.