jhungary
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Dissecting Combat Search And Rescue (CSAR) Tactics
05:15 September 20, 2020
Hawkeyes - NATO E-3 Sentry AWACS
Somewhere 35,000 feet above the skies of Republic of Maldonia, an Eastern European country and former Soviet Bloc, is a lone HC-130P Combat King aircraft, call sign “Crowd Control” it is to support today NATO air strike in support of UN OURM mandate.
Republic of Maldonia had been in civil war for the last decade, and situation exploded after a Pro-NATO faction have been elected as the government of Maldonia, a former socialist fraction then launch an insurgent campaign to bring down the government of Maldonia, United Nation, supported by the American, French, British, Russian and Chinese, is sending a multinational peacekeeping force to maintain law and order within its mandate inside Republic of Maldonia, and to erect a no fly zone in both Northern and Southern part of its airspace.
Today’s on NATO strike menu, a flight of F-16 is sortied to engage and destroy anti-air element of the insurgent. The F-16 flight, call sign “Peacekeeper Watch” was to target a Radar control site within the rebel control zone in Southern Maldonia.
06:10
Peacekeeper Watch 2 - F-16C
Peacekeeper Watch on station and pick up the radar track from Forward Tactical Air Control (FTAC) site, using TACAN ground direction radar, and Peacekeeper Watch is directed to the Initial Point of the bomb run.
At the same time, Peacekeeper Watch 2 was being locked on by rebel radar, A soviet made 9M38 missile launched at Peacekeeper Watch 2. Peacekeeper Watch 2 was shot down over Southern Maldonia, in the rebel held zone, Crowd Control picked up the Distress Signal.
Phase 1 H+0 Hours. Organisational Phase
Crowd Control - HC-130P
Crowd Control picked up the distress signal from Peacekeeper Watch 2. Peacekeeper Watch lead contact Crowd Control and notify Peacekeeper Watch 2 last know position, and Pilot ejected with his chute open. Crowd Control designates itself as on scene CSAR commander.
At this point, Crowd Control is to establish radio contact with the down pilot, triangulate the approximate position of the down pilot, C&C officer of Crowd Control go thru today menu and determine the available asset he can use in the rescue of the downed pilot.
Communication between Crowd Control and Peacekeeper Watch 2 is established, using coded and direct satellite communication, Crowd Control marked the downed pilot down in side the woods in Southern Maldonia. At the same time, C&C officer charted out the asset it required and available to them for the upcoming rescue operation. C&C called for NATO E-3 Sentry aircraft, call sign "Hawkeyes" in the vicinity to act as ISTAR on enemy weapon positioning, generate data to plan the ingress and egress for the rescue element.
C&C officer also alerted the closest FTAC site to launch a pair of HH-60 Pavehawk, call sign “Jolly 1” and “Jolly 2” with Pararescuemen onboard to pick up the pilot, C&C officer also alerted the closest Airbase to launch a pair of A-10 Thunderbolt, call sign “Sandy 1” and “Sandy 2” to support the rescue mission. And finally, a pair of F-16CJ, call sign “Iron Hand 1” and “Iron Hand 2” is diverted to provide SEAD cover along the Ingress and Egress route.
Communication Officer, working with a Forward Air Controller also had mapped out the route for the downed pilot to rendezvous with the Pavehawk.
Phase 2 H + 1 Hour Location Phase
Sandy Lead - A-10C
A-10s Call Sign Sandy 1 and Sandy 2 have arrived in the AO, and in contact with Crowd Control, Sandy 1 is designated as Sandy lead, and the onsite commander role is handed over from Crowd Control to Sandy lead.
The 2 Sandy flew in a High-Low configuration opposite to each other so when 1 Sandy get down near the deck and draw fire, the high Sandy can observe where the fire came from and target it in its own low run.
At the same time both HH-60 Call Sign Jolly 1 and Jolly 2 arrived on scene, Sandy lead put the HH-60 at the staging area outside of both Sandy immediate Area of Operation, but close enough to call in when it’s the time to pick up the down pilot.
At this point, Sandy lead will gain visual contact with the down pilot, using pilot’s own survival strobe. After the downed pilot actual position have been identified, both Sandy comes in the works on pacifying the area around the down pilot and saturate the area with 30mm Gatling gun and Maverick missile, as well as 500 pound bomb.
Guidance come from Crowd Control relaying Target Information from Hawkeyes, also the downed pilot would be able to direct and prioritize Ground target via with the Communication Officer on Crowd Control and those information is then fed to Sandy lead.
While the low Sandy strafing the ground, the high Sandy drop flare and chaff to confuse the rebel radar.
At this point, a Joint Decision have to be made, both Sandy lead and Jolly lead have to make a decision either agree or disagree to go into the next phase, which is to pick up the down pilot.
Phase 3 H+2 Hour Pick Up Phase
Jolly Lead - HH-60 Pavehawk
Once both parties agree to pick up the pilot, the operation will progress into phase 3, which is to arrange a pick up. At this point, Sandy lead will hand the onsite commander role to Jolly lead.
In this case, Sandy lead will advice the downed pilot to move out of his hiding place. While Sandy lead will have to work with Jolly lead on the best pick up site. However, if the downed pilot is injured or wounded during the bailing, Jolly lead will need to insert the PJ directly above the down pilot, using forest penetrator to lower the PJs into the wood.
Jolly lead performed a dynamic pick up where it hover about 50 feets above ground while inserting the PJs, after the roping is done, Jolly lead will lift off and fly in a circular pattern above the area so not to become a static target, when the PJ on the ground contact Jolly lead saying they are ready to be picked up, Jolly lead will land at the pre-selected area with the PJs so the PJs and the downed pilot can board Jolly lead.
Meanwhile Jolly 2 is on high overwatch, providing overwatch form station about 300 to 500 feet, feeding information such as terrain and enemy fire to both Jolly lead and the 2 Sandy
Once the PJs and the downed pilot is secured inside Jolly lead, the operation is then progressed into the 4th and final phase.
Phase 4 H+ 3 Hour Egress Phase.
Iron Hand 1 - F-16CJ
Once everybody on the ground is picked up, the onsite commander roles is once again handed back to Crowd Control, Crowd Control then determine the direction, as well as the order of each element’s egress.
Crowd Control had directed the 2 F-16CJ call sign “Iron Hand 1” and “Iron Hand 2” to fly CAS on the designated egress route, and order Jolly lead to egress first, Jolly lead gain enough forward momentum and accent quickly to 500 feet and outside of small arms range and exfil the area, followed by Jolly 2, and upon expanding all their munition, Sandy flight egress from the area as well,
At this moment, Jolly lead was painted by a Ground Control Radar, another SAM site gone hot and locked on to Jolly lead, Jolly lead drop flare to confuse the enemy Ground Control Radar and Crowd Control vector in the F-16CJ to target, and Iron Hand 1 launch a HARM missile on beam riding mode on that particular Ground Control Radar.
The enemy Ground Control Radar is then switched off to escape the HARM missile, Jolly lead broke the missile lock, and flew into Friendly NATO airspace. Jolly lead unload the downed pilot and the downed pilot received his medical treatment on a friendly Role 3 hospital.
Conclusion
The whole operation is able to complete within 4 hours the first minute Peacekeeper Watch 2 was shot down to safety. Not a single rescue force is lost during the rescue. Another days jobs with the 211st Rescue Squadron, in the end, “So Other May Live” have been its motto for the Rescue Squadron
This is how a standard Combat Search and Rescue (CSAR) operation is performed by the United States Air Force, I am interested to know how CSAR work in your own air force, drop me a line below and we can discuss the different, pros and cons with each different method used around the world.
This is what this whole things will looks like for real
Thanks for reading and thank you for your time.
05:15 September 20, 2020
Hawkeyes - NATO E-3 Sentry AWACS
Somewhere 35,000 feet above the skies of Republic of Maldonia, an Eastern European country and former Soviet Bloc, is a lone HC-130P Combat King aircraft, call sign “Crowd Control” it is to support today NATO air strike in support of UN OURM mandate.
Republic of Maldonia had been in civil war for the last decade, and situation exploded after a Pro-NATO faction have been elected as the government of Maldonia, a former socialist fraction then launch an insurgent campaign to bring down the government of Maldonia, United Nation, supported by the American, French, British, Russian and Chinese, is sending a multinational peacekeeping force to maintain law and order within its mandate inside Republic of Maldonia, and to erect a no fly zone in both Northern and Southern part of its airspace.
Today’s on NATO strike menu, a flight of F-16 is sortied to engage and destroy anti-air element of the insurgent. The F-16 flight, call sign “Peacekeeper Watch” was to target a Radar control site within the rebel control zone in Southern Maldonia.
06:10
Peacekeeper Watch 2 - F-16C
Peacekeeper Watch on station and pick up the radar track from Forward Tactical Air Control (FTAC) site, using TACAN ground direction radar, and Peacekeeper Watch is directed to the Initial Point of the bomb run.
At the same time, Peacekeeper Watch 2 was being locked on by rebel radar, A soviet made 9M38 missile launched at Peacekeeper Watch 2. Peacekeeper Watch 2 was shot down over Southern Maldonia, in the rebel held zone, Crowd Control picked up the Distress Signal.
Phase 1 H+0 Hours. Organisational Phase
Crowd Control - HC-130P
Crowd Control picked up the distress signal from Peacekeeper Watch 2. Peacekeeper Watch lead contact Crowd Control and notify Peacekeeper Watch 2 last know position, and Pilot ejected with his chute open. Crowd Control designates itself as on scene CSAR commander.
At this point, Crowd Control is to establish radio contact with the down pilot, triangulate the approximate position of the down pilot, C&C officer of Crowd Control go thru today menu and determine the available asset he can use in the rescue of the downed pilot.
Communication between Crowd Control and Peacekeeper Watch 2 is established, using coded and direct satellite communication, Crowd Control marked the downed pilot down in side the woods in Southern Maldonia. At the same time, C&C officer charted out the asset it required and available to them for the upcoming rescue operation. C&C called for NATO E-3 Sentry aircraft, call sign "Hawkeyes" in the vicinity to act as ISTAR on enemy weapon positioning, generate data to plan the ingress and egress for the rescue element.
C&C officer also alerted the closest FTAC site to launch a pair of HH-60 Pavehawk, call sign “Jolly 1” and “Jolly 2” with Pararescuemen onboard to pick up the pilot, C&C officer also alerted the closest Airbase to launch a pair of A-10 Thunderbolt, call sign “Sandy 1” and “Sandy 2” to support the rescue mission. And finally, a pair of F-16CJ, call sign “Iron Hand 1” and “Iron Hand 2” is diverted to provide SEAD cover along the Ingress and Egress route.
Communication Officer, working with a Forward Air Controller also had mapped out the route for the downed pilot to rendezvous with the Pavehawk.
Phase 2 H + 1 Hour Location Phase
A-10s Call Sign Sandy 1 and Sandy 2 have arrived in the AO, and in contact with Crowd Control, Sandy 1 is designated as Sandy lead, and the onsite commander role is handed over from Crowd Control to Sandy lead.
The 2 Sandy flew in a High-Low configuration opposite to each other so when 1 Sandy get down near the deck and draw fire, the high Sandy can observe where the fire came from and target it in its own low run.
At the same time both HH-60 Call Sign Jolly 1 and Jolly 2 arrived on scene, Sandy lead put the HH-60 at the staging area outside of both Sandy immediate Area of Operation, but close enough to call in when it’s the time to pick up the down pilot.
At this point, Sandy lead will gain visual contact with the down pilot, using pilot’s own survival strobe. After the downed pilot actual position have been identified, both Sandy comes in the works on pacifying the area around the down pilot and saturate the area with 30mm Gatling gun and Maverick missile, as well as 500 pound bomb.
Guidance come from Crowd Control relaying Target Information from Hawkeyes, also the downed pilot would be able to direct and prioritize Ground target via with the Communication Officer on Crowd Control and those information is then fed to Sandy lead.
While the low Sandy strafing the ground, the high Sandy drop flare and chaff to confuse the rebel radar.
At this point, a Joint Decision have to be made, both Sandy lead and Jolly lead have to make a decision either agree or disagree to go into the next phase, which is to pick up the down pilot.
Phase 3 H+2 Hour Pick Up Phase
Jolly Lead - HH-60 Pavehawk
Once both parties agree to pick up the pilot, the operation will progress into phase 3, which is to arrange a pick up. At this point, Sandy lead will hand the onsite commander role to Jolly lead.
In this case, Sandy lead will advice the downed pilot to move out of his hiding place. While Sandy lead will have to work with Jolly lead on the best pick up site. However, if the downed pilot is injured or wounded during the bailing, Jolly lead will need to insert the PJ directly above the down pilot, using forest penetrator to lower the PJs into the wood.
Jolly lead performed a dynamic pick up where it hover about 50 feets above ground while inserting the PJs, after the roping is done, Jolly lead will lift off and fly in a circular pattern above the area so not to become a static target, when the PJ on the ground contact Jolly lead saying they are ready to be picked up, Jolly lead will land at the pre-selected area with the PJs so the PJs and the downed pilot can board Jolly lead.
Meanwhile Jolly 2 is on high overwatch, providing overwatch form station about 300 to 500 feet, feeding information such as terrain and enemy fire to both Jolly lead and the 2 Sandy
Once the PJs and the downed pilot is secured inside Jolly lead, the operation is then progressed into the 4th and final phase.
Phase 4 H+ 3 Hour Egress Phase.
Iron Hand 1 - F-16CJ
Once everybody on the ground is picked up, the onsite commander roles is once again handed back to Crowd Control, Crowd Control then determine the direction, as well as the order of each element’s egress.
Crowd Control had directed the 2 F-16CJ call sign “Iron Hand 1” and “Iron Hand 2” to fly CAS on the designated egress route, and order Jolly lead to egress first, Jolly lead gain enough forward momentum and accent quickly to 500 feet and outside of small arms range and exfil the area, followed by Jolly 2, and upon expanding all their munition, Sandy flight egress from the area as well,
At this moment, Jolly lead was painted by a Ground Control Radar, another SAM site gone hot and locked on to Jolly lead, Jolly lead drop flare to confuse the enemy Ground Control Radar and Crowd Control vector in the F-16CJ to target, and Iron Hand 1 launch a HARM missile on beam riding mode on that particular Ground Control Radar.
The enemy Ground Control Radar is then switched off to escape the HARM missile, Jolly lead broke the missile lock, and flew into Friendly NATO airspace. Jolly lead unload the downed pilot and the downed pilot received his medical treatment on a friendly Role 3 hospital.
Conclusion
The whole operation is able to complete within 4 hours the first minute Peacekeeper Watch 2 was shot down to safety. Not a single rescue force is lost during the rescue. Another days jobs with the 211st Rescue Squadron, in the end, “So Other May Live” have been its motto for the Rescue Squadron
This is how a standard Combat Search and Rescue (CSAR) operation is performed by the United States Air Force, I am interested to know how CSAR work in your own air force, drop me a line below and we can discuss the different, pros and cons with each different method used around the world.
Thanks for reading and thank you for your time.
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