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 Pilots of A-10 Thunderbolts flying combat search and rescue missions will see their workload decrease as squadrons flying F-16 Fighting Falcons lend a helping hand. “Our squadron has spent the last six months qualifying a select group of F-16 pilots for the CSAR mission,” said Lt. Col. T.J. O’Shaughnessy, 510th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron commander deployed to Operation Northern Watch from Aviano AB, Italy.Search and rescue missions, also called Sandy missions, are vital to any operation in which planes are sent into potentially hostile areas. In the event of a downed plane, the Sandy flight snaps into action. Pilots locate the crew on the ground and then coordinate the recovery effort while providing protection for the downed crew and the recovery assets both inbound and outbound. |
