An airman’s survival playbook

As American forces raced against time and Iran’s military to locate two aviators reportedly shot down — both now rescued — a former Air Force pilot and a rescuer told AFP what it takes to hide, survive and be extracted behind enemy lines.

“You’re like, ‘Oh my God, I was in a fighter jet two minutes ago, flying 500 miles an hour, and a missile just exploded, literally 15 feet from your head,’” said retired brigadier general Houston Cantwell, now with the Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies.

Training quickly takes over. Pilots are drilled in survival, evasion, resistance and escape, which kicks in even before they hit the ground.

“Your best view of where you may want to go or where you may want to avoid is while you’re coming down in your parachute,” Cantwell said.

Cantwell logged 400 hours of combat flight time over Iraq and Afghanistan. But even landing can be dangerous.

“There are many stories of survivors from Vietnam that had severe injuries — compound fractures — just from the ejection,” he said.

Once on the ground, the first step is assessment.

“Take an inventory of yourself… what condition am I in? Can I even move?” he said.

From there, survival depends on location, concealment and communication. Avoiding capture is paramount.

“Try to avoid enemy capture, as long as you can,” Cantwell said. “And if I were in a desert environment, I’d want to try to find some water.”

Meanwhile, Combat Search and Rescue (CSAR) teams are already mobilizing.

“It gives you tremendous peace of mind… they’re going to do everything they can to come get you,” Cantwell said. “At the same time, they’re not going to come on a suicide mission.”

Downed aviators can improve their odds by staying hidden and moving strategically.

“My priority would be concealment… I want to try to get to a location where I can get extracted,” he said.

That could mean a rooftop in urban terrain or an open field in rural areas. Movement is safest at night.

In a “ready room,” CSAR teams like those once led by retired master sergeant Scott Fales prepare to deploy.

A veteran pararescue jumper involved in the 1993 “Black Hawk Down” incident in Mogadishu, Fales said rescue operations begin before missions even start.

“Before any operations are conducted… there is always a CSAR plan,” he said.

Locating a downed pilot requires a flood of intelligence — human, imagery, drone and signal intercepts.

“It’s all being used to try to find this guy,” Fales said.

Once contact is made, rescue plans are executed in real time.

“The gunners are spotting threats, pilots are looking for a landing zone, we’re reaching out to that downed aviator,” he said.

On the ground, teams confirm identity, assess injuries and weigh risk.

“What kind of immediate threat are we in? How much time do we have?… Do we treat on site or grab and go?” Fales said.

With both airmen now safely recovered, Fales said such outcomes highlight the coordination behind every rescue.