and on, and on and ...
Once again this thread becomes ... "the only people who can do SAR properly are the RAF!".
Regardless of where you sit - the RN, RAF and MCA have been carrying out SAR with great success for decades now, each with their own SOPs. Yet again I struggle to understand why supposedly professional aviators are so blinkered and arrogant to assume that its their way or the highway ...
SAR is going to civilianise - there are hurdles to overcome - but a more capable and modern aircraft crewed by both ex military and civilian crews, will deliver a capability on a par. I have no doubt that some refuse to believe this and struggle to comprehend how this capability could be provided by anybody other than themselves. The military of all three services has changed beyond all recognition in recent years and rightly the priority now is the Front Line (= war fighting capability) ... SAR is a second line capability and when you consider the savings that can be made just in manpower terms it makes complete sense for this to be handed over to the DfT - the MoD has far more important battles (literally) to win.
As for NVG, ex mil experience will provide the backbone of a training programme that will provide for all - the structures required for civilian clearance already exist (EASA and CAA).