What is the military device Trump cited in the airman rescue?

During a White House briefing, Donald Trump drew attention to a little-known piece of military technology, describing it as a “very sophisticated” beeper-like device that helped save the life of a downed US airman.

The crew member, part of an F-15E aircraft, reportedly survived nearly 48 hours on the ground in Iran after ejecting from the jet.

Injured and evading capture, he relied on both his own survival skills and a compact locator device carried by US pilots during missions.

The device, known as a Combat Survivor Evader Locator (CSEL), is designed to transmit encrypted distress signals that can be detected by military aircraft and satellites. In some cases, it activates automatically after ejection, continuously sending location data to rescuers. It can also function as a radio when rescue teams are nearby.

According to US officials, the beacon played a key role in guiding forces during a large-scale recovery mission involving dozens of aircraft. The operation also reportedly included intelligence deception tactics to delay detection.