60W helped rescue a pilot in Iran. Here’s why the Air Force might not buy more.

Key Points:

• President Trump praised the HH-60W Jolly Green II helicopter during a briefing on the rescue of a downed F-15 pilot in Iran, marking the first combat use of the aircraft for personnel recovery behind enemy lines.
• Despite its recent combat use, the US Air Force's fiscal 2027 budget request includes no funding to purchase additional HH-60Ws, continuing a trend of limiting fleet size to 75 aircraft, below the originally planned 113.
• Congress, including Senator Richard Blumenthal, has expressed concern over the reduced fleet size, fearing it could create gaps in critical combat search and rescue missions, and has pushed for increased procurement and funding.
• The Air Force is exploring future platforms to supplement or replace the HH-60W, such as the Army’s MV-75 and DARPA’s high-speed, runway-independent SPRINT aircraft, with flight testing for the latter expected in early 2028.
• Meanwhile, the Air Force seeks to upgrade the HH-60W with advanced infrared countermeasures to improve survivability against missile threats, issuing a request for vendors to integrate these systems onto the helicopter.