BBC: <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Early reports indicate that the pilot of a US F-15 fighter aircraft downed over Iran was rescued – which, if confirmed, would be the latest in the long history of US combat search-and-rescue missions over decades.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The search operation is ongoing deep inside Iran for a second crew member, according to CBS, the BBC’s US partner.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Combat search and rescue (CSAR) missions are considered among the most complex, time-sensitive operations that US and allied militaries prepare for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In the US, elite units of the air force are specially trained for CSAR missions and are often pre-emptively deployed near conflict areas where aircraft could be lost.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Put simply, CSAR missions are military operations aimed at finding, aiding and potentially rescuing personnel in need, including downed pilots and isolated troops.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In contrast to conventional search-and-rescue efforts – which could take place during humanitarian operations or after disasters – CSAR missions occur in hostile or contested environments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In some cases – as in Friday’s reported recovery effort in Iran – the operations may happen deep in enemy territory.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
CSAR missions are often conducted by helicopters, with refuelling aircraft in support and other military aircraft on hand to conduct strikes and patrol the area.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A former commander of a pararescue jumpers squadron told CBS News that a rescue operation like the reported one in Iran would involve at least 24 pararescue jumpers scouring the area in Black Hawk helicopters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
They added the team would be prepared to jump from planes if needed, and once on the ground their priority would be to contact the missing crew member.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Upon locating them, the pararescue jumpers would deliver medical aid if necessary, evade the enemy and get to a place where they can be rescued, according to CBS News.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“Harrowing and massively dangerous is an understatement,” the former commander told CBS News.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
They added: “This is what they train to do, all over the world. They are known as the Swiss Army knives of the Air Force.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Verified video that emerged from Iran on Friday appeared to show US military helicopters and at least one refuelling aircraft operating over Iran’s Khuzestan province.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
BBC: Early reports indicate that the pilot of a US F-15 fighter aircraft downed over Iran was rescued – which, if confirmed, would be the latest in the long history of US combat search-and-rescue missions over decades. The search operation is ongoing deep inside Iran for a second crew member, according to CBS, the BBC’s US partner. Combat search and rescue (CSAR) missions are considered among the most complex, time-sensitive operations that US and allied militaries prepare for. In the US, elite units of the air force are specially trained for CSAR missions and are often pre-emptively deployed near conflict… <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":56188,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-56187","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news-in-english"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/gyalchisarshog.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/56187","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/gyalchisarshog.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/gyalchisarshog.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gyalchisarshog.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gyalchisarshog.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=56187"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/gyalchisarshog.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/56187\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":56189,"href":"https:\/\/gyalchisarshog.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/56187\/revisions\/56189"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gyalchisarshog.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/56188"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/gyalchisarshog.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=56187"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gyalchisarshog.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=56187"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gyalchisarshog.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=56187"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}