Air Force seeks HH-60W anti-jam, MUOS capability upgrades

The Air Force is conducting market research to modernize the HH-60W Combat Rescue Helicopter with improved anti-jamming and communications capabilities, according to a sources-sought synopsis published by the service Jan. 3.

Noting that current CRH requirements reflect a 2012 baseline, the Air Force is seeking vendors who can help the helicopter counter low-cost jamming and spoofing devices and additionally incorporate secure Mobile User Objective System communications.

“During EMD execution, this requirements baseline has continued to evolve -- driving the need for planning in support of a new contract vehicle to address a broad spectrum of known and undefined operational capabilities,” the notice states.

According to the notice, the Air Force may seek to add other capabilities in the contract vehicle, which could span between five to 10 years.

Air Force officials previously sought to truncate purchases of the helicopter -- which is recapitalizing the aging HH-60G Pave Hawk -- due to shifting deployment scenarios in Europe and the Indo-Pacific. The planned decrease in procurement subsequently triggered a Nunn-McCurdy cost breach.

Lawmakers have since balked at the request to shrink the helicopter’s planned fleet size, with congressional authorizers and appropriators doubling the requested buy of the helicopter in fiscal year 2023. Authorizers further prohibited funds from being used to close the HH-60W production line.

The HH-60W is a relatively new platform in the Air Force’s fleet, the first of which was delivered by Lockheed Martin subsidiary Sikorsky in 2021. In October 2022, the Air Force declared the helicopter achieved initial operational capability.

Interested vendors are asked to respond by Feb. 3.