GALILEO SAR MEET 2021

29 th of September 2021. 

40 Squadron was again the host for the Galileo SAR meeting at Koksijde air Base in Belgium. The previous SAR meeting at Koksijde Air Base was organized in 2016.

In cooperation with Galileo (Global Positioning System of the European Union) the Belgian Air Force hosted the Galileo Search & Rescue (SAR) meet.

Purpose of this SAR meet is an exercise for all participants (military and one civil team) to demonstrate their skills to each other and to improve their skills for future operations.

By navigation and precision flying exercises the jury is able to choose the best team which will receive the prestigious SAR meet trophy.

In het past often won by the Seaking crews of the Belgian Air Force.

Therefore it was not a surprise that the Seaking of the German Navy won this trophy.

However that a lot of foreign helicopters would join this exercise, we saw also a lot of cancellations (several announced teams only sent observers instead of an helicopterteam).

Teams from Cyprus, Greece, Italy , Slovenia, Sweden and Czechia didn't join the exercise.

There was one nice visitor that arrived 2 days earlier from the Leonardo factory. A brand new AW169 that needs to be delivered towards Brazilian Firefighters (Bombeiros RJ - 7). 

Still with test registration I-EASK. This helicopter didn't join the SAR meeting.

Nevertheless 40th squadron joined the exercise with 2 helicopters.

Please find below pictures of the participants.

For the spotters this was a well organized and nice event despite Covid was never far away.

We received also a very nice goody bag including a nice patch representing this SAR meet.

RN-02 & RN-03 : NH INDUSTRIES NH-90 NFA CAIMAN - 40 Squadron - Belgian Air Force

0714 : P.Z.L. - Swidnik W-3WA SOKOL - 243.vrl - Czech Air Force 

0264 : Agusta-Westland AW101 Mk.612 - 330 skv - Royal Norwegian Air Force

77+07 (20274) (D-HADL) : Eurocopter H145M - THR-30 - HEER (SAR)

89+63 : Sikorsky Sea King Mk.41 - MFG5 - German Navy (Winner of the SAR meet trophy)

OO-NHM (6740) : Aerospatiale SA365N3 Dauphin 2 - Noordzee Helicopters Vlaanderen (NHV) - only civil team participating SAR meet

I-EASK (69130) : Leonardo (AgustaWestland) AW169 - Bombeiros RJ (7) - GOA CBMERJ

(not in action during SAR meet)

Some action pictures......