Article Posted on : - May 12, 2011

The Combat Survivor Evader Locator (CSEL) is the US Department of Defense (DoD) Program of Record for Joint Search and Rescue.

HUNTINGTON BEACH, CALIFORNIA (BNS): Boeing received a $21.4 million contract from the US Air Force (USAF) to manufacture and deliver an additional 2,424 Combat Survivor Evader Locator (CSEL) combat search and rescue radios.

"When minutes count, CSEL allows rescue teams to precisely locate isolated personnel using multi-satellite, over-the-horizon communications and GPS," Boeing CSEL Program Manager Steve Capps, was quoted as saying in the company news release.

Boeing has delivered more than 43,900 CSEL radios to the Air Force, Army, Navy and Marine Corps.

CSEL is the Department of Defense's programme of record for combat search and rescue communications. With this contract award, the joint US forces have ordered more than 46,000 CSEL units. The radios also are available to other US government service branches through the General Services Administration.

The multifunction CSEL radio gives combat forces a cost-effective, tactical advantage with its unique communication and message encryption techniques. With CSEL, rescue teams can locate isolated personnel quickly after receiving a call for help.

The full-rate CSEL production order includes radio sets and adapter spares, rechargeable batteries, and battery adapters. Work is expected to be completed by April 2012.