How useful would SERE be in a modern battlefield scenario? Take,

>>30478243
Thread theme?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i-nl-dMupnE

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1999_F-117A_shootdown

Although the country was much smaller, forces less trained and USAF operations were already ongoing at that time (i.e. it wasn't particularly valuable to maintain stealth and deniability during the rescue missions).

>>30478243
Unfortunately for FGP, the Soviets were waiting for him when he hit the ground, so I doubt SERE could have helped him much there.

The only thing that could have made that whole situation better was if he had managed to enable the U2's self-destruct before he ejected. That really fucked him over.

>>30478379
Even if they weren't (whether it be due to poor force mobilisation or a mechanical failure rather than missile damage), would he stand a chance getting out of the USSR at that time?

>>30478395
I'm not familiar with the terrain where he crashed, but I suppose it's possible that he could have successfully evaded them, given the right amount of time. The cold would have been his biggest obstacle, and by the looks of it the closest country he could have fled to would have been Finland. If he had managed to retain a communication device then maybe he could have coordinated a rescue, but if I recall he destroyed his map upon his descent.

There's a lot of "ifs" when it comes to stuff like this, so it's really hard to say for certain.

>>30478243
I wonder if the Russians grasped Francis Gary Powers' balls when they caught him. Look at the way they bulge in that suit.

>>30478243

Should've killed himself. Seriously.

Would've saved us a lot of trouble.

>>30479896
Fuck you, man. He did everything right except for failing to destroy his aircraft.

>>30479959

Listen, the man was a good pilot and excellent American surveillance serviceman.

He was no doubt an excellent guy and asset to the US.

That being said, in hindsight, if he was dead when he hit the ground, the shitstorm would've been much smaller and easier to manage.

"Powers' U-2 plane was hit by the first missile fired. A total of eight were launched, one of which hit a MiG-19 jet fighter which was sent to intercept the U-2 but could not reach a high enough altitude. Its pilot, Sergei Safronov, ejected but died of his injuries."

Jesus, Russia...

Powers failed to use his cyanide injector. SERE? lol no.... you were on your own and were expected to kill yourself if captured alive.