Industry officials are rolling out their candidates for the Air Force’s CSAR-X—the new aircraft to replace the service’s elderly HH-60 Pave Hawk combat search and rescue helicopters. Boeing is offering the HH-47, a version of its CH-47 Chinook helicopter, as a combat-proven technology. Lockheed Martin plans to enter the American version of the AgustaWestland EH-101, the US101, which won the Marine One contract. Sikorsky offers its HH-92 Super Hawk. The Air Force has yet to issue a formal request for proposals.
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.…