Acronym for Search and Rescue. Raptors are used for SAR operations because of sufficient room for medics and life-support equipment.
Galactica rarely has opportunity for SAR operations to retrieve pilots after combat with Cylon forces in the Re-imagined Series, as they must retreat when the civilian Fleet retreats, forced to leave any surviving Viper pilots to die once their oxygen runs out, or worse, to the mercy of the Cylons.
Twice Galactica itself engaged the Cylons in battle as part of the rescue mission. This was necessary both times as the ship was required to draw off the Cylon forces while the rescue occurred. Pegasus participated in a similar rescue op once in the series as it was part rescue, part mission to destroy the Guardian Basestar.
List of SARs Conducted by battlestar Galactica[edit]
- SAR for William Adama following Operation Raptor Talon (Razor / Razor Flashbacks)
- SAR for survivors on the Colonies, conducted by Raptor teams. Recover among others Ellen Tigh, Tory Foster and the Galactica copy of Cavil (The Plan).
- SAR for Brendan Costanza and Kara Thrace. Constanza easily rescued, but SAR for Thrace ultimatly abandoned, however she rescues herself by flying a Cylon Raider back to Galactica. (You Can't Go Home Again)
- SAR for Raptor 1 on Kobol (Fragged)
- SAR for Lee Adama during the attack on the Resurrection Ship (Resurrection Ship, Part II)
- SAR for the missing Raptors conducted by Pegasus against orders. Turns out to be a Cylon trap and leads to the Battle of the Binary Star System.
- SAR for the captured science team on the Guardian Basestar conducted by Pegasus. Leads to the Battle of the Guardian Basestar.
- SAR for Samuel Anders' Caprica Resistance (Lay Down Your Burdens, Part I)
- SAR for the people on New Caprica. Leads to the Battle of New Caprica and the destruction of Pegasus.
- SAR for the people trapped on the Algae Planet.
- SAR for the Rebel Basestar. All that's discovered is the remnants of the Battle of the Resurrection Hub and some dead bodies as the Rebel Basestar has already left to meet up with the Fleet.
- SAR for Hera Agathon conducted by Galactica itself. Leads to the destruction of Cavil's faction by Galactica in the Battle of The Colony and the end of the Human-Cylon War and Cylon Civil War.