Military experts suggest that the US fighter pilot, who went missing after being shot down over Iran on Friday, holds a tactical advantage in the ongoing nighttime search-and-rescue operation.
The US military is equipped with superior night vision and infrared communication technologies compared to Iranian forces. These tools, combined with the cover of darkness, enhance the pilot’s ability to stay concealed in hostile territory, according to experts.
“The night is our domain,” stated Capt. Ron Alvarado, a retired Marine combat pilot, in a conversation with The Post. “Our hope is that the pilot will be safely retrieved by morning.”
Alvarado elaborated, “Nighttime is optimal for rescues due to the reduced visibility. Dawn and dusk also offer advantages since one can see without necessarily being seen.”
Drawing from his extensive experience in combat aviation, Alvarado noted that the pilot’s specialized survival training is likely activated instinctively, akin to “muscle memory.”
“The pilot is clearly at risk of being spotted,” Alvarado remarked, “so the primary objective is to remain undetected.”
“Right now, that pilot is evading capture, hunkering down and remaining low to the ground to evade the enemy. He or she is going to be trying to use radio to communicate for a rescue.”
Training known as “SERE” —Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape — will likely help the crew member stay alive in the hot, wide-open desert terrain.
But there are still too many unknown factors to predict if the pilot will be found alive, Alvarado said.
“It’s a 50-50 situation — we don’t know where the person is, if they have injuries or are surrounded by the enemy,” he said. “Is their radio working? Do they have enough water?”
The American F-15E was shot down Friday with two crew members inside, authorities said. CNN geolocated the area to the Khuzestan Province in western Iran, closer to the Iraq border.
One member was found in southern Iran and rescued by US special forces hours later, while the other remained missing, according to reports.
“Assuming they ejected, they may be alive somewhere on the ground,” Admiral William J. Fallon told the New York Times Friday. “The key factor in my mind is time and day. It’s probably close to sunset, and that’s good, because we typically have an advantage at night with our search- and-rescue people.”
American and Israeli pilots have carried out more than 20,000 airstrikes since the beginning of the war, according to the countries’ military officials.
