Latest news with #AIM-9Sidewinder
&w=3840&q=100)
First Post
09-07-2025
- General
- First Post
IAF plane crash puts spotlight on ageing Jaguar fighter jet: Are these planes too old to fly?
An IAF's Jaguar fighter plane went down on Wednesday (July 9) in Rajasthan's Churu, killing both the pilots on board. This is the third such instance of a Jaguar crashing since the beginning of this year. Questions have been raised about the safety of this aircraft, which will be retired from use in 2031 read more An Indian Air Force Jaguar aircraft. On Wednesday, the IAF's Jaguar crashed in Rajasthan's Churu, making it the third such mishap since the beginning of 2025. File image/PTI The Indian Air Force (IAF) has lost two pilots today (July 9) after a Jaguar fighter jet crashed near Bhanuda village in Rajasthan's Churu district. A police official said that the aircraft crashed in an agriculture field in Bhanoda village around 1.25 pm on Wednesday, after it took off from the Suratgarh airbase. The IAF has confirmed that both pilots on board suffered fatal injuries. 'An IAF Jaguar Trainer aircraft met with an accident during a routine training mission and crashed near Churu in Rajasthan, today. Both pilots sustained fatal injuries in the accident,' wrote the IAF on X. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Notably, this is the third Jaguar plane to crash this year — earlier, the IAF's Jaguar crashed in Gujarat in April, killing one pilot, while another one crashed in Haryana in March. The crashes once again highlights the issues related to the aging plane and the challenges posed by their overall maintenance, repair and overhaul. Jaguars, the work horse of the IAF The SEPECAT Jaguar was first introduced in 1968, was a joint venture between the British Aircraft Corporation and the French Breguet Company to develop a new supersonic jet trainer for the French Air Force and Royal Air Force. Originally, it was conceived to be a jet trainer with a light ground attack capability, but was later changed to include supersonic performance, reconnaissance and tactical nuclear strike roles. Today, it is a two-seater fighter aircraft with the ability to carry a variety of missiles, including air-to-air options, like the AIM-9 Sidewinder, ASRAAM, and R.550 Magic. Ageing Jaguar fighter jets of the Indian Air Force perform a fly-past in Chennai. File image/AFP In 1979, India acquired the Jaguars, christening them as Shamsher (meaning Sword of Justice in Persian). When the first two Jaguars were inducted into the IAF on July 27, 1979, Group Captain Kapil Bhargava noted in an article for Air Forces Monthly that it marked the beginning of a new era in the IAF's aviation capabilities. The Jaguar soon earned a reputation as a low-level deep penetration strike specialist — this jet played a significant role in reconnaissance and high-altitude precision targeting support during the Kargil War in 1999. Even in the Balakot air strikes of 2019, the IAF used the Jaguar aircraft as decoys to bait the Pakistan air force's F-16 and move them away from the intended target area. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Today, the IAF operates approximately 120 Jaguar jets in six squadrons. Jaguar's chequered legacy in the IAF While the Jaguar has become a critical element of the IAF's fleet, it is not without its issues. In 2025, there have already been three crashes involving the plane. On March 7, a Jaguar fighter jet crashed shortly after taking off from the Ambala airbase in Haryana. The remains of the ill-fated aircraft were scattered all over in the forest area on the hilly terrain near Raipur Rani in the Panchkula district of Haryana close to the Haryana-Himachal Pradesh border. An official statement by the IAF read, 'A Jaguar aircraft of the IAF crashed at Ambala during a routine training sortie today, after encountering a system malfunction. The pilot maneuvered the aircraft away from any habitation on the ground before ejecting safely. An inquiry has been ordered by the IAF to ascertain the cause of the accident.' Fortunately, the pilot escaped the crash with minimal injuries. Wreckage at the site after a Jaguar fighter jet of the Indian Air Force crashed while on a training mission in April. File image/PTI A little less than a month later, on April 2, another Jaguar crashed near Jamnagar Airfield during a night mission, claiming the life of Flight Lieutenant Siddharth Yadav. According to the IAF's official statement, both pilots ejected after detecting the failure, ensuring the jet crashed in an open field instead of populated areas. However, despite the ejection, Flight Lieutenant Yadav succumbed to his injuries. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Sources said that in the past, there have been multiple incidents involving the Jaguar as this fleet of aircraft has suffered over 50 major and minor incidents in its 45-year service with the IAF, some of which have been fatal. Challenges the IAF faces in flying Jaguars The crash on Wednesday once again raises questions if the Jaguar is indeed too old to fly. In fact, India's Air Force is the only major air force that still operates Jaguars; countries like Britain, France, Ecuador, Nigeria and Oman, which once had Jaguars in their fleet, have retired them long ago, with some jets put on display in air museums. Experts note that many of the crashes involving the Jaguar fighter jet was a result of failures in the Rolls-Royce/Turbomeca Adour Mk 804 and Mk 811 engines. Many experts note that one of the biggest concerns with these engines is the thrust output, which is inadequate in India's hot-and-high flying conditions, especially from forward air bases near the Himalayas. As The Print notes in a report, the engines struggle with performance during critical mission phases such as take-off, climb, and low-level manoeuvring under full payload conditions. Five SEPECAT Jaguar aircraft of the Indian Air Force in an arrowhead formation fly over the Yehlanka Airforce Base. File image/AFP Moreover, the availability of spare parts for the Mk 804/811 engines has become a serious logistical bottleneck. Tim Davis, a former Royal Air Force instructor in an IRDW report stated, 'Even with engine and avionics upgrades, you still face issues with airframe fatigue. There's only so much of an aircraft you can replace. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD 'It comes down this: even one pilot death is a tragedy. And the older the aircraft gets, the higher the risks.' IAF's dwindling strength The IAF has plans to phase out the Jaguar from its fleet by 2031. However, delays in acquiring the HAL Tejas Mk2, Rafale, and the MRFA (Multi-Role Fighter Aircraft), has forced the IAF to exnted the life of this ageing plane. Today, the IAF is already short on its fighter squadrons from a sanctioned strength of 42.5 to just 30 jets presently. In fact, in February, Air Chief Marshal AP Singh highlighted the shortage of fighter jets, ruing the delays in the procurement of critical military platforms. He added that the Indian Air Force is 'very badly off in numbers', pointing out that it must induct 40 fighter jets every year to stay combat ready. 'We have fleets that will be phased out in the next five to 10 years. Those fleets will have to be replaced with new aircraft, and we already have vacancies available (shortfall). We are looking at 35 to 40 aircraft a year being produced somewhere. I understand capacities cannot come up overnight, but we need to start pushing ourselves towards that,' he was quoted as saying. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD With inputs from agencies
Yahoo
04-05-2025
- Yahoo
Photo reveals Ukrainian sea drone that downed Russian Su-30 fighter
The first image of the Ukrainian uncrewed surface vessel (USV) that shot down a Russian Su-30 fighter jet over the Black Sea has been posted by Naval News, a military news platform focused on global naval developments. The vessel was identified as a new Magura V7 drone, equipped with two US-supplied AIM-9 Sidewinder air-to-air missiles. This marks the first time in history that a surface drone has successfully brought down a combat aircraft. Source: Mezha Media, a technology and IT news platform within Ukrainska Pravda's holding company Details: The Magura V7 is an upgraded version of the previously used Magura V5, which had been deployed in attacks on Russian naval targets. The V7 is approximately 8 metres long—compared to the 5.5 metres of the V5—and features enhanced design modifications that enable it to operate in rough sea conditions. The drone is equipped with advanced communication antennas and navigation sensors to maintain control over extended distances. Two AIM-9 Sidewinder air-to-air missiles are mounted on special launch rails on the drone and are believed to be capable of being elevated for launch. These missiles reportedly have a maximum range of up to 10 km. Last year, Ukraine's Defence Intelligence stated that Magura drones also use Soviet-era R-73 air-to-air missiles with infrared homing systems. This successful engagement shows that the Magura V7 is not only effective in naval warfare but has now become a serious aerial threat to Russian forces, marking a new chapter in drone-based combat. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!
Yahoo
04-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Crew of Russian Su-30 downed by surface drones confirmed dead – Ukraine's spy chief
The crew of the second Russian Su-30 fighter jet shot down by Ukrainian naval drones near Crimea on 2 May has been confirmed dead. Source: Lieutenant General Kyrylo Budanov, Head of Defence Intelligence of Ukraine (DIU), in an interview with The War Zone (TWZ), a defence and military technology news outlet Details: Budanov described the downing of two Su-30s as a historic milestone for Ukraine's defence forces. He stated that Group 13, a special unit within the DIU, was responsible for destroying the aircraft using AIM-9 Sidewinder air-to-air missiles launched from Magura-7 uncrewed surface vessels. Quote from the TWZ: "Budanov said that the crew of the first Su-30 survived and was picked up in the Black Sea by a civilian ship. Preliminary reports say the crew of the second jet was killed, he added." Quote from Budanov: "We use a couple of models [of missiles] on our Magura-7, but the best results [come from] the AIM-9." For reference: The AIM-9 Sidewinder is a US-made air-to-air missile with an infrared homing system. Background: On 2 May, a special DIU unit, in cooperation with Ukraine's Security Service and the defence forces, shot down a Russian Su-30 using surface drones equipped with air-to-air missiles in the Black Sea near the port of Novorossiysk. Later, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reported the downing of a second Russian aircraft within 24 hours, also over occupied Crimea. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!
Daily Mirror
04-05-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mirror
Ukraine reveals 'world first' after downing £38m Putin Su-30 warplanes
Footage shows a Ukrainian strike on one of two Russian Su-30 warplanes, costing £38 million, in what is a world first using missiles launched from high-speed unmanned boats Ukraine has revealed how it downed two £38 million Putin Su-30 multi-role fighters in the Black Sea - using missiles launched from high-speed unmanned boats in Russian waters. The strikes from marine drones are a world first, and a major humiliation for the Russian dictator with Lt-Gen Kyrylo Budanov saying: 'It's a historical moment.' A video shows the first strike on the Su-30 - known as Flanker - from a Magura-7 drone which struck near key Russian naval port Novorossiysk. It was hit with an AIM-9 Sidewinder infrared-guided air-to-air missile fired from the unmanned boat by a remote controller. The two pilots ejected and were rescued by a civilian ship, according to reports. There is no visual evidence of the second strike, by the same missile type but in a separate strike. Lt-Gen Budanov said the Russian crew were believed to have been killed. Earlier reports from Ukraine suggested the first plane was downed by an adapted infrared-guided R-73 short-range air-to-air missile. The AIM-9 Sidewinder was supplied to Ukraine by the US. Ukraine has repeatedly used maritime drones to inflict heavy losses on Russian naval power in the Black Sea. Earlier the Ukrainian GUR military intelligence directorate said: 'This is the first destruction of a combat aircraft by a sea drone in the world,' said the GUR. The historic strike was carried out by soldiers of the GUR special unit of the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine Group 13 with a missile from an unmanned sea platform Magura. 'The multi-purpose fighter of the aggressor state Russia, whose estimated cost is about $50 million [USD], burst into flames in the air and eventually fell into the sea…. 'The successful strike on the enemy combat aircraft took place in the water area near the port in the city of Novorossiysk, where Muscovites hid the remains of their Black Sea Fleet.' On December 31 last year a Magura V5 missile sea drone downed two Russian Mi-8 helicopters, another world first. Lt-Gen Budanov told War Zone media: 'We use a couple of models [of missiles] on our Magura-7, but the best results [come from] the AIM-9.' Meanwhile, a Russian drone attack overnight on the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, wounded 11 people, Ukraine's State Emergency Service said Sunday. Two children were among the wounded. The attack woke up Valentyna Fesiuk, an 83-year-old resident of Kyiv's Obolon district. 'I was just sleeping when the house shook. It was at 12:30. An apartment on the 12th floor caught fire,' she said. The car of another resident, Viacheslav Khotab, caught fire. 'I saw my car burning. I was covered with broken glass,' he said. 'I couldn't do anything.' The 54-year-old was frustrated with stalled peace negotiations: 'They can't agree on anything, and we are the ones who suffer the consequences.' Daryna Kravchuk, an 18-year-old student in the district, described how 'five to six minutes after the air raid was activated, we heard a strong impact, everything started shaking. ... There were three strikes almost in a row after the air raid was activated. It's very scary to witness, we have been suffering from this for so long. People are just suffering all the time. ... It's still very hard to see our country constantly being destroyed."
Business Insider
04-05-2025
- Politics
- Business Insider
Ukraine said it downed fighter jets with drone boats for the 'first time in history,' destroying two $50 million Russian aircraft
Ukraine said it shot down two Russian fighter jets with naval drones, describing it as the "first time in history" the technology had destroyed a crewed combat aircraft. A Defence Intelligence of Ukraine (GUR) special operations unit said on Saturday that it destroyed a Russian Su-30 fighter jet in the Black Sea on Friday by using a missile launched from a naval drone. Lt. Gen. Kyrylo Budanov, the head of the GUR, then told The War Zone that a second Russian Su-30 was also downed by the missiles from the naval drones in the attack. The Su-30 fighter jets are estimated to cost about $50 million per unit. The GUR shared a video of an aircraft in the sky that appears to have been shot from below, which shows an aircraft-shaped object breaking apart and falling. The GUR said the strike was carried out by a missile launched from a Magura naval drone platform, which can carry missiles that the Ukrainian Main Directorate of Intelligence previously said would target Russian aircraft. Budanov told The War Zone that Ukraine used the Magura-7 version of the naval drone and that it used AIM-9 Sidewinder infrared-guided air-to-air missiles. The Su-30 is a multirole fighter that can do both air-to-air and air-to-ground attacks. Ukraine has destroyed others in its fight back against Russia's invasion. The GUR said the jet on Friday "was engulfed in flames mid-air before crashing into the sea" after the attack, which was done in coordination with the Security Service of Ukraine and the Defence Forces of Ukraine. It said the strike happened near Russia's Novorossiysk port in Western Russia. Russia previously moved many of its vessels there from Sevastopol, the headquarters of Russia's Black Sea fleet in the Russian-occupied Ukrainian region of Crimea, as Ukraine damaged so many of its vessels there with attacks. Ukraine has also launched attacks on Novorossiysk. Ukraine has developed a fleet of naval drones that have menaced Russia's navy. They, along with Ukraine's other weaponry, have allowed Ukraine to largely neutralize Russia's Black Sea Fleet without having any real navy of its own. The naval drones have also caused problems for Russia in the skies. Ukraine said in December that it destroyed a Russian helicopter with a naval drone for the first time, saying a Magura was used in that attack too. A spokesperson for the Russian Ministry of Defence did not immediately respond to a Business Insider request for comment.
