Canadian Air Force Enhances Search and Rescue Missions with Cellphone Tracking Technology

September 9, 2024 TruthUSA

Canadian military aircraft are now equipped with technology that can track cellphones for search and rescue operations.

Dubbed the Cellular Airborne Sensors for Search and Rescue (CASSAR) system, the new technology is currently utilized on Royal Canadian Air Force CC-130H Hercules planes operating out of bases in British Columbia, Manitoba, and Nova Scotia, as stated by the Department of National Defence (DND) in a release on Sept. 6.

The recent system has already been deployed on two search and rescue missions this summer.

It was used to find boaters who were reported missing on June 8 and again on June 15, according to DND. A squadron from Nova Scotia’s 413 Squadron aboard a CC-130H Hercules successfully communicated with the missing boaters and located both vessels despite dense fog.

The tracking system is solely employed “to locate and communicate with individuals reported missing and believed to be in distress,” as per the release.

DND specified that CASSAR does not intercept personal data or store information beyond what is needed for a search and rescue mission and cannot intercept cellphone contact lists, text messages, emails, or voice calls.

The CASSAR systems utilize mobile phone detection technology to pinpoint the location of individuals in need of rescue, DND confirmed.

When a cellphone is activated, it can serve as a beacon to precisely locate a person, even in areas without network coverage. The system employs phones as emergency beacons to guide search and rescue teams to locate the missing person accurately, the defence department explained.

CASSAR systems also have the ability to reduce sweep times in search and rescue operations, thereby minimizing the need for personnel. This results in a significant reduction in search and rescue costs, according to the government.

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