The Combat Survivor Evader locator (CSEL) supports unique communication and message encryption techniques to prevent signals from being intercepted or decoded. It supports communications satellites and global positioning technology to send information about the precise location of isolated personnel such as downed pilots. In addition, the hand-held survival radios provide line-of-sight recovery forces and over-the-horizon joint search and rescue centers with two-way secure data communications capability. CSEL enables rescue forces to authenticate and communicate with isolated personnel in near real-time, anywhere in the world. In March this year CSEL was authorized for use by the joint services now operating in Operation Iraqi Freedom.
CSEL program supports the procurement and fielding of up to 46,000 sets under a US$250 million multi-year program, to be supported by all services. By mid 2006 Boeing delivered more than 8,200 radios to the joint services. In 2006 Boeing received US$80 million contracts to supply 9364 radios, to be delivered between January and March 2007.
