The United States and Russia are ready to collaborate in the possible search and rescue missions of pilots who could be shot down or forced to abandon their aircraft during a mission in Syria. The confirmation comes directly from the US Department of Defense.
A few hours ago, Washington and Moscow signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on flight safety during all air operations in Syria.
"If a pilot in Syria were to be forced to launch into enemy territory, Russia and the United States will communicate the rescue operations through the newly created channel. All actions will be taken at the time of the accident."
The SAR missions of the downed pilots are a particularly serious matter for the United States. The American doctrine does not foresee in any way the possibility that a pilot can fall into enemy hands. This is why even before each mission in an operational context, the United States deploys a self-sufficient department capable of providing for the extraction of a pilot or a downed crew. Tasks carried out, for example, by the chosen elements of the 56 ° Rescue Squadron, department officially deployed at the base of the 48 ° Fighter Wing in Lakenhealth, in England. The same people who, until recently, trained in Sicily.
The agreement also defines the guidelines for safe distances between aircraft, radio frequencies for the United States and Russian pilots to be used in flight and a communication line on the ground between the two air controls. The goal of the MOU is to avoid possible accidents between aircraft (including drones) operating in Syrian airspace.
The Pentagon stressed that the agreement "does not establish areas of cooperation, sharing of intelligence or information of sensitive targets. It does not constitute the beginning of cooperation or support of Russian policy in favor of Assad".
The A-10 are coming
The A-10 landed at the Incirlik air base in Turkey. Their arrival is part of a regular rotation - added the spokesman of the Department of Defense Peter Cook - but we now have a platform for close air support that our enemies know well.
At least twelve A-10 have arrived in Turks and in the next few hours they will take part in the first missions in Iraq and in Syria against the Islamic State.
(photo: US DoD)
