‘Harrowing night’ for rescue forces, says former US airforce pilot
I’ve spoken to former US Air Force pilot Dr Ravi Chaudhary, who served as a personnel recovery director during the Iraq war. He says “what made this extraction so difficult is that rescuers had to establish contact with the aircrew without giving away their position to hostile forces.” It would have been a “harrowing night” for the rescue forces and US airmen, says Chaudhary – who served in the US air force for 21 years. “There are multiple ways you can extract the air crew,” he says. “You can lower a harness down while still airborne and hoist the airman up to a helicopter. Or you can actually land and approach the airman.” “At the same time you are coordinating strike assets to maintain safe cover for the rescue forces.”