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A-10C Thunderbolt IIs get LARS V-12
A new Lightweight Airborne Recovery System (LARS) V-12 is being installed on the US Air Force’s (USAF) A-10C Thunderbolt II aircraft assigned to active duty fighter squadrons at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base (AFB).
The LARS V-12 gives pilots and ground personnel downrange a valuable search capability for combat search and rescue missions. It provides A-10 pilots with the GPS coordinates of ground personnel, and allows them to communicate with individuals on the ground, such as downed pilots, pararescuemen and joint terminal attack controllers, via voice or text.
During the past three months the system has been installed on 19 aircraft from Davis-Monthan AFB and Moody AFB, Georgia.
Lt Col Ryan Hayde, 354th Fighter Squadron commander and A-10 pilot, said: 'A-10 pilots take the combat search and rescue role very seriously. While this is just one tool, it can assist us in bringing them back to US soil safely.'
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