Tactical Recovery of Aircraft and Personnel: A Relevant Capability for a Moral Obligation
Abstract
This study addresses the history and relevance of TRAP as a Combat Search and Rescue (CSAR) and PR concept in the United States Marine Corps. The DoD requires each service to provide CSAR in support of their own operations, and TRAP is the extant concept within the Marine Corps that supports this requirement. This paper examines moral and financial reasons for conducting personnel and aircraft recovery missions. The moral issues and financial issues combined with the many existing intangibles within the PR arena create a complex problem for leaders and commanders to deal with. TRAP is a relevant, robust and flexible capability that satisfies the requirement for the Marine Corps to provide CSAR in support of its own operations. The argument supporting the execution of PR missions are based more on a moral obligation and other related intangibles than on financial reasons. TRAP satisfies the moral obligation to save fellow servicemen while also supporting the financial and operational security incentives to recover downed or damaged aircraft. TRAP is a capability that the United States Marine Corps must continue to train for in order to meet future PR and aircraft recovery requirements across the spectrum of conflict.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Mar 01, 2002
- Accession Number
- ADA404913
Entities
People
- Paul A. Fortunato
Organizations
- Marine Corps University