Combat Search and Rescue Replacement Vehicle (CSAR-X)

The Combat Search and Rescue Replacement Vehicle (CSAR-X) is a Pre-Major Defense Acquisition Program (MDAP) with an Acquisition Category ID designation operating under the Major Capability Acquisition pathway. The program appears focused on developing and acquiring specialized aircraft and related systems for combat search and rescue missions. This initiative represents a significant defense procurement effort aimed at maintaining and enhancing military rescue capabilities.

The program's contract portfolio is dominated by a $5.3 billion firm-fixed-price contract awarded to Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation in 2014 for the Combat Rescue Helicopter (CRH) program, scheduled for completion in 2028. Other significant contracts include multiple delivery orders to Raytheon Company for night vision equipment, with values ranging from $2 million to $17 million, and various awards to L-3 Communications Integrated for aircraft structural maintenance and repair services ranging from $90,000 to $1.7 million. Primary contracting agencies include the Aeronautical Systems Center, Naval Surface Warfare Center, and Warner Robins Air Logistics Complex. The contracts show no consistent use of set-aside designations, with primary performance locations including McKinney, Texas, and Lexington, Kentucky. Contract types vary between firm-fixed-price and cost-plus arrangements, with performance periods typically ranging from one to five years.