The list of potential offerors for a new combat rescue tanker aircraft to augment Air Force Special Operations Command’s combat search and rescue vehicle—CSAR-X—is continuing to grow. (DR 11/16/05) Joining the C-27J, according to Flight International, probably will be the EADS Casa C-295 and Airbus A400M and, possibly, the Lockheed Martin KC-130J. AFSOC doesn’t expect to start acquisition of the CRT until 2008. It is on tap to hold an industry day next month, though.
Every year, Congress and the military debate which combat assets should head to the boneyard and which have more life left in them. Lawmakers often opt to keep Air Force systems that bring jobs to their districts, which complicates matters as the service looks to modernize and ditch certain platforms.…