Air Forces Southern Airman Integral to Rescue Off Coast of Mexico

View Online Air Forces Southern Airman Integral to Rescue Off Coast of Mexico Feb. 12, 2026 |  By Andrea Jenkins, Air Forces Southern Air Force rescue aircrews assigned to the 563rd Rescue Group, supported by Air Forces Southern, conducted a long-range water rescue of a civilian aboard a tanker in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Mexico, Feb. 5.   The mission underscored how training, experience and cross-unit integration enable Air Force rescue forces to respond when time, distance and personnel availability converge.  The mission began when the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center received a request for assistance from the crew of the Maran Gas Olympias, a Greek-flagged liquefied natural gas tanker operating more than 340 nautical miles offshore. A civilian aboard the vessel was experiencing a serious medical emergency that required immediate advanced medical care.  Because of limited helicopter pilot availability, 563rd Rescue Group leaders reached out to Air Force Lt. Col. Jeff Budis, chief of exercises and airshows assigned to the Air Forces Southern operations directorate. An HH-60W Jolly Green II pilot with over 2,000 flight hours, Budis was asked to integrate into the operation based on his extensive rescue experience. While assigned to Air Forces Southern, Budis maintains his rescue pilot qualifications and continues flying with the rescue group to remain mission-ready.  "This mission is a shining example of what rescue does," Budis said. "Being ready to go at the drop of a hat — that's why we train the way we do. These missions are unpredictable. They don't come around often, but when they do, you have to be ready; training is what makes that possible."  Budis served as an aircraft commander and supporting flight lead, overseeing mission planning and execution, including fuel planning, risk management and long-range overwater coordination.   "The call wasn't about where I was assigned — it was about having the right experience available when it was needed," he said. "My role was to integrate into the team and help execute the mission safely."  Two HH-60W helicopters assigned to the 55th Rescue Squadron, supported by an HC-130J Combat King II, launched toward the vessel. The extended distance required detailed mission planning, multiple helicopter air-to-air refueling events, and close coordination among aircrews, pararescue teams and tanker crews. The 79th Rescue Squadron HC-130J Combat King II conducted refueling events, transferring more than 13,000 pounds of fuel to extend the helicopter's range and time-on-station.  "Flying hundreds of miles over open ocean is inherently high risk," Budis said. "If anything goes wrong during air refueling, you're suddenly talking about more survivors than the one you were sent to save."  Once on scene, 48th Rescue Squadron pararescue personnel boarded the vessel and assessed the patient, determining he required evacuation for higher-level care. While the primary medical team conducted the initial assessment, supporting aircraft managed fuel and timing constraints to ensure the mission could continue safely.  "They packaged the patient on the bow of the ship, hoisted him off and we flew through the night to Cabo San Lucas, " Budis said. "From there, he was transferred to Mexican medical authorities for continued treatment."   The patient was transported ashore in stable condition.  Air Force Capt. Nate Delaney, chief of plans and exercises and HH-60W pilot assigned to the 55th Rescue Squadron, who flew alongside Budis during the mission, said the operation highlighted the strength of standardized training and trust across the rescue enterprise.  "Even when crews don't fly together every day, the standards are the same," Delaney said. "Everyone understood their role, trusted the plan and focused on one thing — getting the patient the care he needed and bringing the team home safely." "We fly with different people all the time, but we all train to the same standards," he added. "That's what allows us to trust each other and execute every mission safely; it comes down to standards and training," Budis said. "We fly with different people all the time, but we all train to the same standards, so we know what to expect and how to trust each other."  For Budis, missions like this directly inform his work overseeing exercises and training across the U.S. Southern Command area of responsibility.   "Everything I do in exercises is informed by real missions like this," Budis said. "It's easy to draw from real experience when planning and training."  At the end of the day, he said the mission reflects the core principle that drives the Air Force rescue community.  "These things we do, that others may live," Budis said.

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DOW Strengthens Domestic Production of Critical Display Technologies

View Online IMMEDIATE RELEASE DOW Strengthens Domestic Production of Critical Display Technologies Feb. 12, 2026 The Department of War (DOW) announced today two September 19, 2025 investments totaling $24.5 million to bolster the U.S. supply chain for advanced optical displays.  This announcement was delayed due to the government shutdown. The projects, funded through the Office of the Assistant Secretary of War for Industrial Base Policy (OASW(IBP))'s Industrial Base Analysis and Sustainment (IBAS) Program, were awarded this summer to Kopin Corporation of Westborough, Massachusetts and Tectus Corporation of Cupertino, California. They will focus on developing and validating a cost-effective manufacturing process for MicroLED displays that are essential for next-generation weapon systems. "Microdisplays are crucial components in delivering information to the joint warfighter and are integrated into solutions across all domains including heads-up-displays for pilots, advanced night vision goggles, weapon optics, and unmanned systems," said Assistant Secretary of War for Industrial Base Policy Michael Cadenazzi. "Securing a domestic supply of advanced MicroLED displays is vital for the Department's next-generation defense applications, ensuring both performance and security." Both projects will establish an onshore, multi-vendor supply chain of state-of-the-art MicroLED displays.  MicroLED technology promisea to enable daylight readability with full-color symbology and imagery by delivering ultra-high brightness levels that remain visible in direct sunlight, while also supporting high image quality at low brightness for nighttime operations.  The technology also allows for reduced size, weight and power, improving warfighter capability and effectiveness. These investments demonstrate the Department's commitment to strengthening domestic manufacturing and securing critical supply chains. They also support the Secretary of War's priority of Rebuilding the Military by ensuring that there are reliable, trusted U.S. manufacturers of state-of-the-art micro-displays to enable successful development, delivery, and operation of next-generation weapon systems. Since the IBAS Program's inception in 2014, the Innovation Capability and Modernization (ICAM) Office has invested over $2.6 billion across 205 projects to restore domestic manufacturing capacity and capability.  ICAM is part of OASW(IBP)'s Manufacturing Capability Expansion and Investment Prioritization (MCEIP) Directorate within the Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of War for Industrial Base Resilience.  For more information on MCEIP, please visit: https://www.businessdefense.gov/ibr/mceip/index.html. About the Office of the Assistant Secretary of War for Industrial Base Policy (OASW(IBP)) The OASW(IBP) works with domestic and international partners to forge and sustain a robust, secure, and resilient industrial base enabling the warfighter, now and in the future.  The OASW(IBP)'s Innovation Capability and Modernization (ICAM) Office, which manages the IBAS Program, provides DOW with key capabilities to achieve the strategic aims of Department priorities and Presidential Executive Orders.  These call for a strong, resilient, responsive, and healthy national industrial base that can respond at-will to national security requirements.

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