The U.S. Air Force has once again gone on the offensive to retain the combat, search and rescue (CSAR) mission following recent comments by Pentagon acquisition chief John Young that sparked further questions by the House Armed Services Committee (HASC).

Near the end of last year, Young questioned the need for the Air Force to keep a dedicated CSAR fleet, especially in light of recent acquisition questions over the $15 billion CSAR-X replacement helicopter program the service is now rebidding following two protests upheld by the U.S. Government Accountability Office (Aerospace DAILY, Nov. 24, 2008).

More recently, the HASC followed up Young’s comments by posing the question to the Air Force: why do you need a dedicated CSAR fleet in-house?

The Air Force – which earlier this decade fought off an effort within the Pentagon to move the CSAR role from under its wing – prepared a briefing to answer the HASC questions and show how vital a role a dedicated Air Force fleet has played.

The Air Force estimates some 2,800 lives have been saved by its CSAR forces in action related to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Those CSAR missions are able to: “execute in high risk areas when other services cannot support due to availability & environment,” the Air Force briefing says.

And there’s also been nonmilitary service as well, the service says, citing the following:

• 2004 – Tsunami relief;

• 2005 – Pakistan earthquake assistance;

• 2005 – Hurricane Katrina assistance, (4,312 lives saved);

• 2006 – Philippine mudslide assistance.