Follow Up on POGO's CSAR-X Investigation

In November 2007, POGO raised concerns that the acquisition process for the CSAR-X was subverted, undermining the war fighter needs of the helicopter.  Specifically, POGO raised concerns that the Air Force Special Operations Command watered down the deployability requirement, even though a key performance parameter of the helicopter is the amount of time it can be deployed and ready to go in theater.  We worried that the change in requirements may have resulted in the Air Force procuring the wrong helicopter for the mission.

The Department of Defense Inspector General found that this requirement was not changed improperly, and that the changes would not "adversely affect special operations capabilities in the Global War on Terror."  Neither the report nor the results have been made publicly available--but we have the results in brief.

-- Mandy Smithberger