JP 3-50 National Search and Rescue Manual Vol I - US Navy

Overseas Region the Alaskan CAP Wing is activated by the
regional SAR coordinator. Except in Hawaii and Puerto Rico,
single-engine CAP aircraft are not used over water beyond
gliding distance of a shoreline. CAP works closely with FEMA
on a ground and airborne radiological survey mission. CAP
also has SAR ground teams supported by other CAP members who
can establish base camps providing meals and shelter.
6. Air Force Special Operations Command pararescue units, SAR
personnel highly trained in such fields as parachuting,
mountaineering, survival in all environments, advanced
emergency medical care, underwater scuba swimming, and
aircraft crash fire fighting, can deploy from aircraft over
any type of terrain or ocean, day or night, to assist
survivors. The pararescue team usually consists of two
pararescuemen equipped with emergency medical care kits,
survival kits, and either scuba or forest penetration
parachute kit.
7. Air Defense Command (ADCOM) radar net, along with the FAA,
provides coverage around the perimeter of the continental
United States. Input from radar sites is fed into various
ADCOM direction centers located at strategic points within the
United States. These centers continuously monitor all radar
targets approaching United States borders and coastlines. If
a radar target is not positively identified within minutes,
ADCOM scrambles fighter/interceptor aircraft to intercept.
Radar coverage may extend as much as 500 miles offshore, and
may provide a precise position where an aircraft has ditched,
or where a bailout has occurred. This service may entail a
search of previous ADCOM radar net information. The ADCOM
radar net can be alerted when aircraft are reported lost in
coastal and oceanic areas of the United States, when a radar
check may be helpful, when an intercept of a distressed
aircraft is needed, or when on scene search and radar control
are desired.
8. Recorded Radar Systems
a. 6521st Test Squadron, Edwards AFB Range Control. In
support of the mission of the USAF Flight Test Center located
at Edwards AFB, CA, the 6521st Test Squadron records primary
and secondary radar data received from 10 radar sites (2 long
range/8 short range). These data are recorded by means of an
MODARC processing and display system. Data recorded by the
6521st M-DARC system is retained for approximately 30 days and
can be retrieved via a playback of the recording medium.
b. 552nd Airborne Warning and Control Wing (AWACS). In
support of the global mission of the USAF, the 552nd AW&C
Wing, based at Tinker AFB, OK, operates the Boeing E-3
"Sentry". Many of the aircraft operate within domestic U.S.
airspace during the course of their daily flight operations.