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Air Force wants to use lasers to help protect rescue helicopters after Iran mission
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· Source: Task & Purpose — reporting by Kyle Rempfer
· Wednesday, April 22, 2026
· 1 min read
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Four days after a daring daylight rescue mission whisked a downed American fighter pilot out of Iran under heavy fire , a notice appeared on a federal contracting website.
Four days after a daring daylight rescue mission whisked a downed American fighter pilot out of Iran under heavy fire, a notice appeared on a federal contracting website. The Air Force, it said, was seeking to upgrade its fleet of combat search and rescue helicopters to fend off heat-seeking missiles.
The timing of the contract appearing just after the high-profile mission may have been coincidental, but it highlights two issues in the Air Force’s small rescue community — a vulnerability in its newest helicopters to shoulder-launched missiles, and the commitment to CSAR operations from the greater Air Force.
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AI-assisted analysis Generated by an AI model constrained to the facts of the story above, under rules set and reviewed by our editors. Spot an error? Corrections .
The Air Force's pursuit of a laser-based system to counter heat-seeking missiles highlights a critical vulnerability in its newest combat search and rescue helicopters, the HH-60W Jolly Green II. This vulnerability is particularly concerning given the increasing prevalence of man-portable air defense systems, or MANPADS, in contested environments. The integration of an advanced infrared countermeasure system would be a significant enhancement to the Whiskey's existing countermeasures, which include warning systems, chaff pods, and flare decoys. For military families and veterans, this development underscores the ongoing need for investments in aircraft survivability and crew safety, particularly in high-risk environments. As the Air Force continues to operate in hostile territories, the development of such a system could have a direct impact on the safety of rescue missions and the personnel who carry them out, ultimately informing VA policy and benefits related to disability and healthcare for those affected by such operations.
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