Air Force fighters are trained for scenarios like this through a rigorous training program known as SERE (Survival, Evasion, Resistance, and Escape). For stranded crew members, “the situation can be so dynamic that there’s no one thing you can do,” Cantwell says.
“It might have been years [since] they’ve had the training, but I guarantee you that it kicks in right away,” Kunkel added, referring to SERE. He noted that “there’s always refresher training that occurs” prior to combat missions.
Crew members are usually equipped with survival kits that stay with them when they eject from an aircraft and might contain some type of radio device to communicate with U.S. personnel.
Once a crew member is located, a “rescue package” is put together involving several pieces of equipment and personnel that rely on a series of environmental and situational factors to successfully execute a rescue.
