What is a CSAR mission? A breakdown of US military’s most dangerous operation

The CSAR, their motto — “These Things We Do, That Others May Live” reflects a commitment to ensuring no service member is left behind. These personnel are trained as both elite combatants and paramedics, undergoing one of the most demanding training programmes in the military, lasting nearly two years. This includes parachuting, diving, survival training, resistance and escape techniques, and full paramedic certification.

The aim of a CSAR mission is to assist, locate and recover personnel in hostile environments, including downed pilots and isolated troops. Unlike standard search operations, these operations are carried out in active combat zones like happening right now in Iran and are typically executed using helicopters.

How it all unfolds

Speaking to CBS News, a former commander explained that such a mission could involve at least 24 para rescue jumpers deployed via Black Hawk helicopters. These teams are trained to parachute, establish contact with missing personnel, provide medical assistance, and evade enemy forces.

Former US Marine Corps Special Operations specialist Jonathan Hackett told the BBC that such missions typically involve working backwards from the last known location of missing personnel and expanding the search based on terrain and possible movement.

He added that this could also be a “non-standard assisted recovery mission,” potentially involving pre-established local contacts to aid rescue efforts.

History of CSAR missions

Some of the earliest airborne rescue efforts date back to World War I. The US military’s para rescue legacy traces back to a 1943 mission in Burma (now Myanmar), in which combat surgeons parachuted in to assist wounded soldiers. A year later, the first helicopter rescue took place behind Japanese lines. Modern CSAR operations took shape during the Vietnam War, when missions became larger and more complex as the conflict dragged on.