The Air National Guard (ANG) HC, MC-130 fleet has several shortfalls in its ability to precisely and effectively locate and identify combat search and rescue (CSAR) survivors; control and understand the personnel recovery area of regard, and to rapidly coordinate capability to execute recovery operations or respond to survivor needs. Current capability has notable shortfalls in mission ability to provide rapid situational awareness, responsiveness and in the ability to rapidly affect recovery and rescue of downed and distressed personnel. Lack of such critical mission rescue capability has dangerously exposed rescue and survivor crews to increased enemy hostile fire, element dangerous and has prolonged aircrew rescue time and continuous to hamper critical rescue operations in the battlefield and in austere environments.
A Digital aided Personnel Recovery (DaPR) capability is critically needed. A system such as the Toplite Rescue System (TRS) to enable information gathering, integration and synchronization of time sensitive coordination and execution of personnel recovery events between strategic, operational an tactical levels is critically needed by all fleet rescue 130s. The enhanced capability offered by a TRS initiative can greatly enhance ongoing mission critical operations by enabling rapid location, support and recovery of survivors or isolated personnel. Such an onboard capability further enables effective management of recovery vehicles and dismounted PJ teams; Prevent fratricide, provides RT/NRT, EO/IR full motion video and data share capability. Mission rescue capability can be highly enhanced and enable quick location, recovery and extraction of survivors or isolated personnel. Coupled with a GFE SABIR arm, the Toplite Rescue System can provide such a much needed mission enhanced capability today in a roll-on, roll-off configuration.