The combat crews of the search and rescue units of the Ukrainian Air Force have successfully completed training in Norway. This is reported by the press service of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine via Telegram.
"Our rescuers have completed one of the most challenging international courses conducted at the Royal Norwegian Air Force base," the message states.
Over the past few months, Ukrainian rescuers have closely cooperated with instructors from the USA, Denmark, and Sweden, practicing small group tactics, evacuation scenarios in difficult conditions, enhancing medical skills, and mastering NATO procedures.
The General Staff emphasized that Ukrainian military personnel also shared their experience of modern warfare, showing foreign colleagues videos of evacuations from the front, discussing the use of reconnaissance drones for pilot searches, and sharing tactics for operating under constant enemy UAV and artillery surveillance.
"In Norway, we were the only ones with real combat experience. Our partners conducted similar operations in Afghanistan and Iraq, but modern warfare requires rescuers to be medics, technicians, drone operators, and full-fledged fighters," said Vitaliy, head of the aviation search and rescue support management center of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
During the training, special attention was given to working with Western aircraft, particularly the F-16.
"Each system has its own characteristics, and rescuers must know how to safely approach the aircraft, disable it, open the cockpit, and evacuate the crew in case of an emergency," explained the head of the aviation search and rescue support management center.
The General Staff also reported that the number of rescue teams has significantly increased, led by military personnel with unique combat experience, including defenders of Azovstal.