The Spanish Air Force demonstrated its search and rescue capabilities during the Galileo SAR Meet exercise, held at the 24th Transport Air Force Base in Prague-Kbely, Czech Republic, from August 4 to 8.
The SAR Meet is an international competition between helicopter crews from the international SAR (Search and Rescue) system, where both the crew’s skill and the capabilities of their aircraft are tested. The various tests focus on coordinating air rescue operations in complex terrain and conditions.
Seven foreign helicopters from Germany, Norway, Belgium, Lithuania, Slovakia, Spain, and Austria, four Czech helicopters, and one fixed-wing aircraft participated this time. The aircraft deployed were a Belgian and a Spanish NH-90, a German Sea Lynx and an Ec-145, a Lithuanian AS365N3, a Slovak UH-60, a Norwegian AW-101, a Czech MI-17, an MI-171 and a W-3A Sokol and an Austrian C-182 aircraft.
The meeting fosters close collaboration between European states, helicopter SAR units, both flight and ground personnel, and, last but not least, the European Global Positioning System, Galileo.
An event divided into two phases: SAR competition and symposium.
The SAR competition is an opportunity to demonstrate the skills, resources, and cohesion of each unit. The main pillar is the flight challenge, which tests piloting skills and precision in rescue operations, crew resource management, cooperation, and adaptability to complete the various tasks during the competition. The ground technical crew and rescuers, as an integral and indispensable part of the team, also have the opportunity to compete with colleagues from other units.
One of the flight exercises, the Flying Challenge, is designed as a simulation of an actual SAR mission. Crews receive on-the-ground training on navigation, search, precision landing, and the extraction of a dummy from inaccessible terrain. All under time pressure and a strict scoring system. The Flying Challenge tests not only the pilot, but also the entire crew, including the flight engineer, nurse, and rescuers, who demonstrate their experience, expertise, and training to ensure the mission is accomplished.
The symposium, held at the EU Space Agency in Prague, offers an excellent opportunity to learn, share, and network not only with colleagues from SAR units, but also with representatives from RCCs, SAR-related organizations, and industry.
With the goal of mutual learning and sharing strategies and experiences with the SAR community to make SAR operations safer, faster, and more efficient, the 48th Wing returns to its base in Cuatro Vientos with the satisfaction of a job well done.
