Definition
Aircraft Surge Launch and Recovery (ASLAR) is a set of procedures used at designated United States Air Force bases to support a high tempo of military aircraft departures and arrivals during exercises or contingency operations. ASLAR procedures provide standardized separation, sequencing, and routing to allow large numbers of aircraft to launch and recover in a compressed period of time, and are coordinated between the Air Force and the FAA.
Plain English
A special set of rules used at certain Air Force bases that lets a lot of military aircraft take off and land in a very short time without losing safe spacing.
Context Anchor
Seen on Alaska IFR route planning materials, low-altitude charts, and in ATC route clearances.
Derivation
The name describes itself: a 'surge' is a sudden burst of activity, so 'aircraft surge launch and recovery' simply means handling a rush of aircraft taking off and landing. The term is included here mainly because the acronym ASLAR is what pilots will see in print.
Why Pilots Care
It enables higher numbers of missions in short periods, which is essential for maintaining tactical advantage during deployments.
Intuition Check
Do not read ASLAR as just any low route in Alaska. It means a specific published FAA route used for instrument-route planning and clearances.
Example Sentence 1
During the exercise, the controller advised civil traffic to expect delays because the base was conducting ASLAR operations.
Example Sentence 2
Pilots prepared for ASLAR operations aboard the carrier to support rapid response requirements.