It costs $10,000 and is called CSEL. This is the device that helped the US find its pilot whose plane was shot down in Iran.
Last Easter Sunday ended with a highly complex rescue operation after a U.S. fighter jet was shot down in Iran. The story began on a Friday of that week when a U.S. F-15 was downed in a mountainous region of southwestern Iran. One crew member was quickly rescued, while the other, a weapons systems officer, was left in hostile territory, wounded and alone. For 48 hours, he was forced to hide and move around the area while Iranian forces searched for him, motivated by a $60,000 reward.
Meanwhile, the United States launched a covert operation to find him, and succeeded after pinpointing his exact location. A Washington official told Axios, "It was like looking for a needle in a haystack, but in this case, it was a brave American soldier hiding in a mountain crevice, invisible without the capabilities of the CIA."
Immediately afterward, the United States launched a rescue operation using aircraft, helicopters, and special forces to extract him alive, despite his injuries. In addition to the military deployment, a crucial element that made the rescue possible was the AN/PRQ-CSEL, or Combat Survivor Locator Device, which had been operational since 2009.
What is an AN/PRQ-CSEL device and how does it work?
As the objective explained, this device is part of the standard equipment for many high-risk air missions and is designed for extreme survival situations. Developed by Boeing since winning the Pentagon contract in 1996, it resembles a type of military radio. Weighing approximately 800 grams, it is compact and durable, allowing pilots to easily carry it. Its function is to locate any isolated military personnel without revealing their position.
To achieve this, the device uses a GPS system protected against jamming and spoofing, along with an encrypted communication system. This means that instead of speaking, the pilot sends pre-programmed messages such as "I am injured" or "I need to be evacuated," which include their precise location. These messages are transmitted as very short signals that are difficult to detect. The device is also capable of receiving information: teams can send instructions, designate safe routes, or receive danger alerts from rescue centers.
In addition, the device includes maps, escape routes, and mission data loaded before flight. It can even verify the pilot's identity using authentication systems to prevent errors during rescue operations. As a last resort, it can also transmit an open emergency signal, knowing that this will make it visible to the enemy.
What is its price?
According to Defense Industry Daily , the AN/PRQ-CSEL device costs approximately $10,000 per unit and is a highly sophisticated military technology that proved crucial in this rescue operation conducted in an extremely dangerous environment. Trump described the mission as "one of the most daring search and rescue operations in American history," adding that the officer, a colonel, "was injured but will be okay," though he later clarified in another message that he was "in critical condition."