The Pentagon has launched one of the most dangerous military search and rescue operations, known as Operation Sandy, to recover the pilots of a US F-15E fighter jet that crashed in Iranian territory. The operation is taking place in the Khuzestan region, a rugged area near the border with Iraq and the Persian Gulf.
The first pilot was rescued after a few hours, but a major operation involving dozens of planes and helicopters was organized for the second, while Iranian forces and local militias are also searching for him, spurred by the reward promised by the Iranian regime for his capture.
Since the Vietnam War, missions of this type have been known as “Sandy” and are entrusted to the most specialized units of the American aviation. The downed pilot can only rely on an emergency transmitter attached to the ejection seat, a coded radio and a minimal survival kit: a pistol, a few magazines, medical equipment and some food.
The rescue operation involves Blackhawk and Sea Stallion helicopters, Hercules "Combat King" transport aircraft and A-10 Warthog attack aircraft, flying at very low altitudes to avoid radar and protect the pilot from pursuing forces on the ground.
Meanwhile, the situation has been worsened by the mobilization of the Revolutionary Guard and Basij militias, as well as by local residents hoping to benefit from the reward for the capture of the American pilot. According to military sources, several American helicopters have been hit by fire on the ground and forced to make emergency landings in Iraq.
The Pentagon is aiming for the pilot to survive until dawn, when a rescue operation can be carried out with a greater chance of success. If he manages to evade capture during the night, US special forces will attempt to extract him from Iranian territory in an operation considered among the most dangerous in US military doctrine.
