Another Mirage 2000 down

[RPK]

Why are Mirage 2000s falling from the sky?



New Delhi: Even as the Indian Air Force is yet to decipher the reasons behind previous crashes, one more Mirage 2000 fighter jet crashed on Thursday.

A Mirage jet crashed in the Sawai Madhopur district of Rajasthan this morning; the pilots ejected to safety.

The Mirage 2000s are homed at Gwalior. These aircraft started getting inducted into the IAF in the mid-80s and have had a very good flight safety record - only six casualties in over 25 years of service with the IAF – but things turned worrisome recently.



Prior to today’s crash, two Mirage 2000 fighters crashed in the last two months, forcing the IAF to ground the entire fleet for preliminary checks.

The IAF has also sought the help of aircraft manufacturing company Dassault in air-crash investigations. A team of engineers and technicians from France was in Gwalior for the same.

Also, the IAF has already ordered a Court of Inquiry (CoI) into the accidents.

The IAF had recently signed two deals worth over USD 3.2 billion for upgrading the capabilities of the Mirage 2000 with French companies Dassault, Thales and MBDA.

Dassault was recently awarded the contract for supplying 126 Rafale aircraft to the IAF.

 

[Nishan_101]

I think this totals to 4-5 M-2000s and now the fleet is facing shortage too. IAF is looking towards EF-2000 about 50 of them or not??? Just supposition not to replace M-2000 but to add capability that they require.

Why are Mirage 2000s falling from the sky?



New Delhi: Even as the Indian Air Force is yet to decipher the reasons behind previous crashes, one more Mirage 2000 fighter jet crashed on Thursday.

A Mirage jet crashed in the Sawai Madhopur district of Rajasthan this morning; the pilots ejected to safety.

The Mirage 2000s are homed at Gwalior. These aircraft started getting inducted into the IAF in the mid-80s and have had a very good flight safety record - only six casualties in over 25 years of service with the IAF – but things turned worrisome recently.



Prior to today’s crash, two Mirage 2000 fighters crashed in the last two months, forcing the IAF to ground the entire fleet for preliminary checks.

The IAF has also sought the help of aircraft manufacturing company Dassault in air-crash investigations. A team of engineers and technicians from France was in Gwalior for the same.

Also, the IAF has already ordered a Court of Inquiry (CoI) into the accidents.

The IAF had recently signed two deals worth over USD 3.2 billion for upgrading the capabilities of the Mirage 2000 with French companies Dassault, Thales and MBDA.

Dassault was recently awarded the contract for supplying 126 Rafale aircraft to the IAF.

So this means now 7 M-2000s have been crashed???

 

[Killswitch]

Time to cancel the upgrades, and buy some SU 30 MKI's off the shelf from Russia if this is true.

 

[Nishan_101]

Time to cancel the upgrades, and buy some SU 30 MKI's off the shelf from Russia if this is true.

I am sure that if they wanted to buy something to replace M-2000s then they will look towards EF-2000s. And this might be conspiracy to buy EF-2000s as the Brits are reluctant to sell these to INDIA.

 

[Nishan_101]

Time to cancel the upgrades, and buy some SU 30 MKI's off the shelf from Russia if this is true.

I am sure that if they wanted to buy something to replace M-2000s then they will look towards EF-2000s. And this might be conspiracy to buy EF-2000s as the Brits are reluctant to sell these to INDIA.

 

[janon]

I am sure that if they wanted to buy something to replace M-2000s then they will look towards EF-2000s. And this might be conspiracy to buy EF-2000s as the Brits are reluctant to sell these to INDIA.

I think you don't know what reluctant means. The brits are trying every trick in the book to sell the EFs to India.

On topic, this really calls into question the wisdom of upgrading these birds. That money might be better spent in purchasing additional LCAs or rafales. If we are to believe the dassault marketing team, one rafale can carry three times as much load as a mirage, and has one-third the RCS. They will come at 2.5 times the price of upgrading a mirage, but will serve for at least 3 times longer. The mirage upgrade seems to be making less sense every day.

 

[rockstarIN]

Whats happening? I doubt some sabotage effort..

 

[Patriot]

Whats happening? I doubt some sabotage effort..

Yeah that could be true - Perhaps someone trying to send a message that French Airplines are not reliable therefore India should go for EF.

 

[Yeti]

How many we lost now 3 Mirages? is the upgrade deal even worth it but alas we signed the contract bit too late to turn back but I hope the fee would be reduced as there would be less Mirages to upgrade now!

 

[DMLA]

There has been no independent corroboration of this news. And frankly I am not a big fan of Zee and its ilk!

 

[OrionHunter]

The mirage upgrade seems to be making less sense every day.

It's all about the money - middlemen and arms wheeler dealers!

 

[sancho]

There has been no independent corroboration of this news. And frankly I am not a big fan of Zee and its ilk!

Aren't the Mirage grounded until the reasons of the last crashes are investigated?

 

[Jon Snow]

false news - the mirages are grounded and no other channel is reporting this.

 

[rockstarIN]

Yes it seems a false news, I searched but did not find it.

 

[acetophenol]