AFI13-202 governs procedures and facilities for overdue aircraft and establishes processes for alerting agencies involved in search efforts.
View AFI13-202 on armypubs.army.mil
AFI13-202 covers search and rescue services, national coordination, waivers, and the roles of Air Force and partner agencies. It requires units to process waivers with Air Force Form 679 and maintain resulting records according to applicable records requirements.
Applies to: It applies to all Regular Air Force (REGAF), Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve organizations (to include contracted locations) that administer procedures and/or facilities for overdue aircraft.
Services include search for missing aircraft, survival aid, rescue, and emergency medical help for the occupants after an accident site is located.
Units must use Air Force Form 679, Air Force Publication Compliance Item Waiver Request/Approval, to process waivers to this instruction.
The requesting office unit commander must forward a copy of the approved waiver to the AFFSA/XA workflow (hqaffsa.xa@us.af.mil) for situational awareness and process improvement considerations within 10 days of approval.
As the United States' (US) search and rescue coordinator, the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center serves as the single agency responsible for coordinating on-land federal SAR activities in the 48 contiguous United States while also providing SAR assistance to Mexico and Canada. (paragraph 33-363)
The US Coast Guard coordinates and conducts maritime SAR missions over coastal waters/inland throughout the contiguous United States and Alaska, Hawaii and Puerto Rico. (paragraph 33-363)