History
During World War I there were several impromptu rescues that would now be described as CSAR.
In World War II the Luftwaffe (Seenotdienst organization) operated armed camouflaged air-sea rescue aircraft.
During the Vietnam War the costly rescue of Bat 21 led the US military to find a new approach to high-threat search and rescue. They recognized that if a SAR mission was predestined to fail, it should not be attempted and other options such as special operations, diversionary tactics and other creative approaches tailored to the situation had to be considered. Recognizing the need for an aircraft that could deliver better close air support, the US Air Force introduced the A-7 Corsair, originally a carrier-based Navy light attack aircraft, to replace the Air Force's A-1 Skyraiders, an aircraft that also was originally a carrier-based naval attack bomber.
As a result of the Vietnam CSAR experience, the US military also improved the night capability of helicopters and area denial munitions.
During the Vietnam War, U.S. SAR forces saved 3,883 lives at the cost of 71 rescuers and 45 aircraft.
In the 1980s, the USAF A-7Ds were superseded by the A-10 Thunderbolt II. Utilizing the "Sandy" callsign of its A-1 and A-7 predecessors, the A-10 continues to be the principal USAF fixed-wing strike aircraft providing close air support (CAS) in the CSAR mission, augmented, when available, by the USAF F-15E Strike Eagle and F-16 Fighting Falcon, and USN/USMC F/A-18 Hornet, F/A-18 Super Hornet and AV-8 Harrier II aircraft.
Read more about this topic: Combat Search And Rescue
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