The lack of an F-15E Strike Eagle in Iran prompted specialised Fight Search and Rescue items to spring into motion, with a mess of property working collectively to get well all lacking aircrew. Right here’s how.
On Apr. 3, 2026, a number of specialised items sprang into motion for a fancy mission they prepare extensively for however hope by no means to execute: Fight Search and Rescue (CSAR). As we reported, an F-15E Strike Eagle was misplaced over Iran and an A-10C Thunderbolt II crashed in Kuwait after being hit by enemy fireplace whereas supporting the CSAR operation.
The Ongoing Effort
Early within the morning, movies began rising on social media, exhibiting U.S. rescue property in flight at low altitude over southern Iran. Amongst them, two have been rapidly recognizable: the HC-130J Fight King II plane and the HH-60W Jolly Inexperienced II helicopter.
U.S. Particular Operations Command MC-130J Commando II plane, escorting two HH-60 helicopters, have been confirmed on video flying south of the town of Lali in Iran’s Khuzestan Province.
POV is probably going at 32°15’48.92″N, 49°04’40.02″E. pic.twitter.com/Gi3fNugufP
— Egypt’s Intel Observer (@EGYOSINT) April 3, 2026
These are each designed particularly to conduct personnel restoration operations, together with CSAR. The primary movies from Iran confirmed them flying each on their very own and collectively, the latter throughout aerial refueling.
This isn’t with out dangers, because the plane should fly over hostile territory in plain daylight, utterly uncovered. That is additional demonstrated by the movies of Iranian police concentrating on the HH-60s with small arms fireplace as they fly over them.
Footage of Iranian police firing small arms at a pair of USAF HH-60Ws trying to find the downed F-15E crew earlier right this moment. pic.twitter.com/9SwhyhY1Aw
— OSINTtechnical (@Osinttechnical) April 3, 2026
In accordance with U.S. media shops, the HH-60s have been broken by small arms fireplace, wounding crew members, but they have been capable of safely return to base. In a single video, an HC-130J can also be seen shelling out flares, though it’s unclear if it was a precaution or a response to a menace.
The helicopter that rescued the downed USAF F-15E pilot was hit by Iranian small arms fireplace, wounding crew members on board -CBS pic.twitter.com/nUczvgiabG
— OSINTtechnical (@Osinttechnical) April 3, 2026
I’m engaged on the idea that the picture on the left is actual, the suitable nevertheless is faux. pic.twitter.com/7Sc0IWH2Dp
— Aurora Intel (@AuroraIntel) April 3, 2026
Small arms fireplace just isn’t the one menace, as Man-Moveable Air Protection Programs (MANPADS) are additionally lively within the space. One among these programs is believed to have struck the A-10C which later crashed in Kuwait whereas returning to base.
The A-10 that crashed in Kuwait was offering shut air assist for the search and rescue mission for the crew of the F-15 when it was hit by Iranian fireplace, a US official tells ABC.The plane was capable of make its approach to Kuwait the place it crashed after the pilot ejected
— Selina Wang (@selinawangtv) April 3, 2026
The truth is, the CSAR effort see extra than simply the HC-130s and HH-60s in motion. Among the many different property concerned, which have been additionally seen in motion in Iran, are the A-10s, F-35s and MQ-9 drones, in addition to many extra property which aren’t instantly seen.
An A-10C assault plane has been noticed within the skies over Iran and is reportedly participating in a SAR operation for the pilot of the downed F-15E. pic.twitter.com/u5NJ34sR3k
— 𝔗𝔥𝔢 𝕯𝔢𝔞𝔡 𝕯𝔦𝔰𝔱𝔯𝔦𝔠𝔱△ 🇬🇪🇺🇦🇺🇲🇬🇷 (@TheDeadDistrict) April 3, 2026
In the long run, these efforts have already resulted in two pilots being efficiently rescued, whereas the search continues for the F-15E’s Weapon Programs Officer (WSO). In accordance with studies, the WSO made contact with U.S. forces utilizing an encrypted radio, whereas persevering with to evade the pursuing Iranian forces.
#BREAKING Two US officers have now confirmed to Newsmax that one of many pilots has been rescued and is present process medical therapy. The standing of the second pilot is unknown.Search and rescue ops proceed. We’ve seen video of HC-130 plane and helos within the skies. One supply…
— Carla Babb (@CarlaBNewsmax) April 3, 2026
pic.twitter.com/LFpBCVqVLM
— OSINTtechnical (@Osinttechnical) April 3, 2026
Fight Search and Rescue
Fight Search and Rescue (CSAR) is without doubt one of the most advanced and delicate mission units in trendy air operations. Complicated as a result of this entails a number of items with a number of kind of property working along with small discover, and delicate as a result of it means sending extra folks in hurt’s approach in a high-threat state of affairs the place to rescue any remoted personnel (ISOP).
It’s tough to clarify Fight Search And Rescue (CSAR), however I take advantage of my account to clarify aviation & army in easy phrases, so I’m going to attempt.
To start, CSAR isn’t just one unit. There are a number of specialised items among the many totally different branches in addition to items that serve…
— KC-10 Driver ✈️ 👨✈️ B-737 Wrangler (@MCCCANM) April 3, 2026
Personnel on these missions work underneath excessive stress, understanding that each further minute they take to reach on track means a further minute for enemy forces capturing the ISOP, who’s in the meantime counting on the Survival, Evasion, Resistance & Escape (SERE) coaching to outlive. This work requires excessive coordination, with every asset having a selected function.
Normally survivor strikes in accordance with an EPA (Evasion Plan of Motion) and should be authenticated on the idea of the ISOPREP (Remoted Personnel Report). The pilot awaiting restoration should act in accordance with an evasion plan (EPA) which, relying on the anticipated time behind enemy strains, the private gear accessible, and the capabilities of the CSAR items working in theater, should embrace a pre-planned escape route.
CSAR groups don’t rely solely on visible search within the space of the final recognized coordinates: downed pilots carry survival radios and locator programs that may transmit emergency alerts, GPS knowledge and safe messages to rescuers, though location alone isn’t sufficient and should nonetheless be matched with correct authentication earlier than susceptible property decide to the pickup. Furthermore, transmissions could be detected by enemy forces, and utilizing them can rapidly drain batteries. For that reason, radios and locator units, whose vary is clearly restricted, are employed with excessive care.
In CSAR, discovering the downed pilots is simply a part of the issue. The opposite is ensuring the particular person calling for assist utilizing a radio actually is the survivor and never the bait for an ambush. That’s the reason rescue forces depend on layered authentication, which makes use of codewords and pre-shared private particulars filed earlier than the mission, that should be validated in a fast challenge-response communication earlier than the helicopters descend into hostile territory.
For this function, the ISOPREP is used, a doc usually held by the intelligence part of the unit to which the pilot belongs and supplied to rescue authorities within the occasion of a shootdown. Along with the pilot’s images and fingerprints, it comprises sure private particulars utilized by rescuers to determine the survivor past doubt earlier than bringing him aboard the helicopter. In a really unfastened sense, the logic is similar of the Zero Belief paradigm: by no means assume id primarily based on a single declare or sign, however confirm it by way of a number of parts earlier than granting entry or, on this case, committing extremely susceptible rescue property.
Public USAF doctrine brazenly acknowledges how uncovered rescue property are in the intervening time of pickup. The well-known restoration of “Basher 52”, Capt. Scott O’Grady (who was shot down over Bosnia in June 1995), presents a textbook instance: even after contact was established, O’Grady was reportedly requested a private query solely he was capable of reply, so as to verify the rescue power was speaking to him.
To that respect, the power to get well personnel from behind enemy strains has lengthy been considered an essential think about sustaining the morale of tactical aircrews. Figuring out that devoted CSAR groups stand able to danger their lives to get well remoted personnel in hostile territory can considerably enhance the boldness of fast-jet crews flying underneath fight stress. Subsequently, it shouldn’t be too stunning to see the pictures of the HC-130J and HH-60s flying low stage, in broad daylight, in hostile airspace to rescue the 2 F-15E aircrew members who ejected in Iran.
The HH-60W Jolly Inexperienced II is the platform of alternative for this mission. The helicopter is particularly geared up to rescue downed pilots and produce them again to base.
The helicopters are armed with GAU-21 .50 cal machine weapons and GAU-2 7.62 mm miniguns, and geared up with armor and self-defense programs. Their function is to get the rescue forces to the required location rapidly.
Pararescuemen, also called PJs, are extremely skilled consultants that fly behind the HH-60. Their function is to get boots on the bottom, find, determine and medically help the downed pilot.
That is maybe probably the most delicate a part of the mission, because the PJs should work rapidly to reduce the time on the bottom and thus the hazard each to themselves, the helicopters and the downed pilot. “That Others Could Dwell” (typically “These Issues We Do, That Others Could Dwell”) is the official motto of the USA Air Pressure PJs.
Whereas the HH-60s and PJs type the core of the CSAR mission, there’s a host of property which makes their job attainable.
Right here comes the HC-130J Fight King II, the Air Pressure’s solely devoted fixed-wing personnel restoration platform. Equally to the HH-60s, they’re particularly geared up to fly into contested environments to conduct a wide range of missions.
One among their main duties is to supply the HH-60s with the vary to succeed in their vacation spot, because of the Helicopter Air-to-Air Refueling (HAAR) functionality utilizing two underwing pods, which permit the refueling of two helicopters on the similar time. Moreover, the HC-130s coordinate the broader rescue effort.
Clearly, unarmed HC-130s and evenly armed HH-60s want safety. The A-10 Thunderbolt IIs are platform completely suited to fly the “Sandy” mission, because the CSAR assist mission is often referred to as: the platform is secure at sluggish pace and low altitude, it’s armored, can take enemy hits and nonetheless get again to base, and it could possibly have interaction floor targets and enemy troopers.
Appearing because the mission commander, the A-10s are tasked with the safety of the rescue property, directing them to the goal and suppressing any menace round it. Their function doesn’t finish right here, because the Warthogs additionally escort the helicopter out and in of the goal space.
Moreover, bigger plane packages are concerned to supply additional help. An instance may very well be F-16s and F-35s offering Suppression of Enemy Air Defenses (SEAD) assist to pave the best way for the rescue helicopters, in addition to F-15s and F-22s to ascertain native air superiority so enemy air property received’t have the ability to get shut.
Clearly, plenty of assist property are additionally concerned: tankers, airborne early warning, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, digital warfare and so forth.
HH-60W Jolly Inexperienced II
The U.S. Air Pressure obtained the first two operational HH-60W Jolly Inexperienced II helicopters in 2020 at Moody Air Pressure Base, Georgia, starting the transition from the HH-60G. The title Jolly Inexperienced II was chosen as a reference to the legendary custom of the Vietnam-era HH-3E Jolly Inexperienced and HH-53 Tremendous Jolly Inexperienced crews who pioneered the fight search and rescue mission.
Whereas the preliminary plan as a part of the Fight Rescue Helicopter program was to accumulate 113 “Whiskey” helicopters, the service later diminished the order to only 85. Based mostly on the UH-60M, the HH-60W contains numerous enhancements over the HH-60G, with a deal with vary and survivability.
Modifications to the HH-60W embrace a digital radar warning receiver; laser, missile, hostile fireplace warning; built-in chaff and flares; cabin and cockpit armor; externally mounted 7.62 mm and .50 caliber weapons; LINK 16 army tactical knowledge hyperlink community; Situational Consciousness Knowledge Hyperlink; built-in cockpit and cabin shows; superior communications; Automated Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast; tactical transferring map shows; upturned IR-masking exhausts; and environment friendly wide-chord rotor blades.
Simply two years after the primary supply and three after the primary flight, the HH-60W reached the IOC (Preliminary Operational Functionality) in 2022. A few days earlier than the IOC declaration, Moody AFB already accomplished the primary rescue mission within the Jolly Inexperienced II, and inside a month launched the first-ever operational deployment of the HH-60W.
The HH-60W is now reaching all items throughout the Air Pressure. Aviano Air Base in Italy was the final lively obligation location to function the older HH-60G Pave Hawk, and joined Moody AFB, Georgia, Davis Monthan AFB, Arizona, Nellis AFB, Kadena AB, Japan, Gabreski ANGB, New York, and Kirtlan AFB, New Mexico, which already function the newer Jolly Inexperienced II.
HC-130J Fight King II
The HC-130J Fight King II is the one devoted fixed-wing Personnel Restoration platform within the Air Pressure stock, primarily based off the KC-130J and modified with improved navigation, menace detection and countermeasures programs.
There are a few of options that instantly differentiate the Fight King II from the common KC-130J tanker. Amongst these options we will discover defensive programs, just like the Missile Warning Sensors (MWS), Radar Warning Receiver (RWR) and Massive Plane InfraRed CounterMeasures (LAIRCM), which shield the plane throughout Fight Search And Rescue (CSAR) mission in hostile environments.
One of many primary capabilities of the HC-130J, inherited from the KC-130J, is the Helicopter Air-to-Air Refueling (HAAR) because of the 2 pods underneath the wings that enable the refueling of two helicopters on the similar time each throughout day and evening. The pods, nevertheless, may enable refueling on the bottom by way of their Fast Floor Refueling port, a functionality particularly helpful when there’s the necessity to arrange a Ahead Arming and Refueling Level (FARP) to assist different plane throughout a long-range mission.
The Fight King II additionally has an array of various antennas for its radios which, throughout operational missions as half of a big bundle of plane corresponding to CSAR, the Fight Programs Officer makes use of to obtain plenty of data from totally different sources. The CSO acts as a filter for the overwhelming amount of information and sends to each asset precisely what they should construct their Situational Consciousness and full the mission.
You’ll be able to learn extra concerning the HC-130J Fight King II and the missions it could possibly carry out on this unique interview with a HC-130J teacher pilot of the thirty fourth Weapons Squadron we revealed right here at The Aviationist.
