Where? Lagerlechfeld, Germany
When? 09/2010

The Combined Joint Personnel Recovery Standardisation Course (CJPRSC) 2010 took place at the Lechfeld AB with a strong participation by the Italian, French and German Armed Forces. This course aims to improve to cooperation and standardization in multi-national CSAR missions.

The need to do so was identified during the VOLCANEX exercises in 2002-2006 and subsequently the EAG (European Air Group) did initiate a specialized CSAR course "to enhance knowledge and proficiency required to execute a CSAR mission in a non permissive, international environment".

The need to do so was clearly reflected by the participating nations, especially when looking at their current worldwide missions, e.g. inAfghanistan. They can surley profit of the acquired knowledge and thus brought a huge diversity of aircraft to Lechfeld.

The Italian Armed Forces (Air Force and Navy) did send several aircraft and ground crews to Lechfeld: HH-3F Pelikan, SH-3H Sea King, AW101 Merlin, AB212 and two AMX light attack aircraft.

France participated with a EC725 Caracal, SA341 Gazelle as well as a SA330B Puma.

Additionally to them the Luftwaffe contributed three Bell UH-1D to the exercise.

During the course one daily mission was planned that mainly aimed to recover a missing soldier. First CAS was provided by the jets, either the AMX or Lechfeld-based Tornados, and then the helicopters came to rescue, first to provide air cover and then to extract the missing soldier.

Special thanks go to Publis Affairs at Lechfeld and the EAG for their support in compiling this report!