The US Navy does not possess dedicated active duty combat search and rescue (CSAR) capability. Currently, the Navy draws CSAR support for planned peacetime contingencies from various sources, but during a crisis or in the early stages of a war, it may have no alternative but Navy helicopters organic to the carrier battle group (CVBG). These airframes and their pilots are ill-equipped to fly the overland CSAR mission. The Navy hopes to correct this situation by improving training and developing CSAR kits with which to retrofit carrier helicopters if necessary. However, history has shown that the Navy's reliance on the CVBG's helicopters to fly CSAR has not worked. The author recommends that the Navy develop an active duty CSAR capability by either (1) making HCS-4 and HCS-5 dual active duty/reserve squadrons (2) assigning responsibility to HC-16 or (3) attaching or active component to the Naval reserve CSAR squadron who will deploy with the CVBG.
Combat Search and Rescue Policy for the United States Navy
1988
24 pages
Report
No indication
English
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