What factor increases the necessity for security in ground recovery?

The necessity for security in ground recovery is significantly increased by battlefield exposure. In a combat environment, units involved in recovery operations may be more vulnerable when they are exposed to hostile forces. This exposure can encompass a variety of threats, including direct fire, indirect fire, and risks from enemy reconnaissance or surveillance. Such conditions necessitate that recovery teams maintain a high level of security to protect themselves and ensure successful recovery of personnel or equipment.

While other factors such as low visibility or high altitude can present challenges, they do not inherently increase the overall operational threat level as much as the direct exposure to enemy combatants does. Low visibility may limit what can be seen but does not necessarily correlate with the level of threat as battlefield exposure does, and high altitude primarily affects mobility and engagement ability rather than the immediate security situation. Similarly, reduced enemy detection might imply a lower threat level, but it does not account for the dynamics of being actively engaged in a hostile area. Therefore, battlefield exposure stands out as the key factor requiring heightened security considerations during ground recovery operations.