Personal Safety and Rescue Equipment

The Personal Safety and Rescue Equipment program within the Air Force is designed to enhance the performance, protection, and survivability of warfighters globally. This initiative focuses on procuring a variety of base support and safety items essential for flight operations. It supports the Guardian Angel family of systems, which is integral to executing Combat Search and Rescue and Personnel Recovery operations. The equipment spans nine critical mission areas, including Precision Aerial Insertion, Maritime Rescue, Ground Mobility, and Medical support. The goal is to align with operational imperatives and improve capabilities through advanced procurement.

The Guardian Angel system is employed by specialized Air Force units such as Pararescue men (PJ), Survival, Evasion, Resistance, and Escape (SERE) specialists, and Combat Rescue Officers (CRO). Procurement includes items like cargo and personnel parachute equipment, technical recovery tools, night vision accessories, ground transportation means, and training simulators. These acquisitions aim to meet mission needs through initial procurement or technical refreshes for next-generation assets. Additionally, the program addresses potential obsolescence issues by supporting life-of-type or bridge buys when necessary.

Special Tactics/Combat Control Equipment under the Special Warfare Acquisition Growth and Refresh (SWAGR) program provides standardized equipment for Special Tactics combat controllers and other special operations personnel. This includes training simulators, airfield marking tools, weather data collection systems, medical equipment, enhanced night vision systems, unmanned capabilities, and maritime rescue gear. The objective is to ensure these units are equipped with the necessary tools to execute their missions effectively while adapting to emerging requirements.

Items Less Than $5 Million focus on procuring essential aircrew flight equipment such as helmets, oxygen breathing apparatuses, laser eye protection gear, night vision goggles, ejection seats, survival radios, life rafts, and physiological monitoring devices. The Next Generation Ejection Seat aims to accommodate a broader range of aircrew body types while enhancing safety during ejection events. These efforts are part of a broader strategy to maintain readiness by addressing diminishing manufacturing sources and material shortages promptly.