French Mirage crash kills Taiwanese exchange pilot

Mirage 2000-5F of EC 01.002. Photo © Tom Houquet/Koksijde Spotting Group

The Republic of China Air Force (RoCAF) has confirmed a Taiwanese exchange pilot died in a crash of a French Armee de l'Air Mirage 2000-5F fighter during a training flight in eastern France Wednesday. The pilot, identified as 37-year-old Lieutenant-Colonel Wang Tung-yi (王同義) was on a training exchange program at Luxeuil/St.Sauveur airbase.

According to a Radio France Internationale report, local witnesses said they saw a "ball of fire" crash into a wooded area about 500 meters from a group of houses, while Froideconche Mayor Henri Passard said that based on information he had received, Lieutenant-Colonel Wang did everything in his power to avoid crashing into houses and subsequently ejected too late to save himself. The French newspaper Le Pays has pinpointed the crash site (see map below) as just north of the nearby town of Luxeuil-les-Bains.

Map of reported crash site. Note location of town and airbase

The Armee de l'Air has been reported to have announced at a news conference that the Mirage crashed two minutes after taking off at approximately 1005 hrs local and was loaded with 240 20mm shells and 7000 liters of fuel, flying as number 4 of a 4-ship patrol which was part of the "operational alert" force (Ed: QRA?)

Luxeuil/St.Sauveur (BA116) is the home of the Mirage 2000-5s of EC 01.002 Cigognes, one of the most famous units of the Armee de l'Air. The RoCAF operates 56 (from an original order of 60) Mirage 2000-5Di and -5Ei with the three squadrons based at Hsinchu, in the northeastern part of the island of Taiwan.

UPDATE: The RoCAF has grounded it's fleet of Mirages pending the outcome of the crash investigation. It has also been revealed the Lt-Col Wang was two months away from completing his two-year exchange stint in France. Sources indicate that the crashed Mirage was serialled 116-ER (n°68).

VIDEO: Ex Kiwi Flag 2012 [HD]

Held at the Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) base at Whenuapai, Exercise Kiwi Flag is a multilateral, tactical air mobility exercise which aims to improve the interoperability and partnership of the participating nations. The RNZAF is exercising with international air force partners on their way to the Air Force Air Show at Ohakea Air Base on Saturday 31 March. This video by the New Zealand Defence Force, gives us an insight into the exercise.

Countries involved in the exercise, which is based in Auckland are the French Armed Forces of New Caledonia (CASA CN235), Republic of Singapore Air Force (C-130H Hercules), Royal Australian Air Force (C-130J Hercules), the United States Air Force (C-17 Globemaster III) and the United States Marine Corps (KC-130J Hercules). The host nation is taking part with it's C-130H Hercules.

The exercise sees fixed wing tactical training comprising low level flying and airdrop of cargo and personnel to Kaipara and Raumai Air Weapons Range.

The exercise forms a key part of readiness training for the New Zealand Defence Force and its international partners and runs from March 24 to April 5.

More Mirage F1s land in Malta

Malta seems to be the preferred destination for Mirage F1s. A pair of Armee de l'Air Mirage F1CRs have made an emergency landing in Malta after one of them encountered a hydraulic emergency after a mission over Libya. Both appear to be Mirage F1CRs with at least one aircraft configured for a reconnaissance mission.

This follows another pair of Armee de l'Air Mirage F1CRs landing in Malta after one of them ran low on fuel earlier in the week. And of course, soon after Libya's rebellion began in February, a pair of armed Libyan Mirage F1EQs arrived in Malta with two defecting pilots who have since requested asylum.

UPDATE: The pilot of the Mirage with hydraulic problems was reportedly ten minutes away from ejecting from the aircraft.

French, British jets hit Gaddafi command centre, ammo dump

The French military says its aircraft have hit a Gaddafi loyalist command center near the Libyan capital Tripoli even as anti-regime rebels advanced under the umbrella of coalition airstrikes. Meanwhile Marham-based RAF Tornadoes hit ammunition dumps deep in the Libyan desert using Storm Shadow missiles.

French aircraft destroy Libyan Galebs, Hinds on the ground

The Pro-Gaddafi forces' air arm have suffered further setbacks over Libya with France claiming its attack aircraft have destroyed seven more aircraft on the ground at an airbase near Misrata. The Libyan aircraft were reportedly five Soko G2 Galebs and two Mi-35 Hind attack helicopters.

Rafale destroys Libyan Galeb on the ground for violating NFZ

Initially touted as an air-to-air kill, it is now reported that an Armee de l'Air Rafale has destroyed a Libyan AF Soko G2 Galeb on the ground at Misratah Airbase. The Galeb was initially spotted in the air violating the Libyan No Fly Zone but was only attacked by the coalition after landing.

Armee de l'Air draws first blood over Libya

Late Saturday evening, the Armee de l'Air (French Air Force) became the first coalition air force to drop live weapons in enforcement of the Libyan no-fly zone when its Mirage 2000s dropped precision guided weapons on tanks of the Libyan government threatening rebel-held Benghazi. According to the French, Rafales also flew reconnaissance missions and CAP over Libya.

French Rafales to acquire reconnaissance capability

Working its way towards the Omnirole tag, Armee de l'Air and Aeronavale Rafales will acquire reconnaissance capabilities through the use of the Thales AREOS Reco NG pods. In addition to still imagery, the pod is capable of producing video and measuring speeds of moving objects.

French army investigates cause of Tiger helicopter crash landing

A French Army Tiger helicopter serving with ISAF has made what has been described as a hard landing near Kabul. The aircraft had been escorting a pair of French transport helicopters at night when the incident happened. One crew member suffered slight injuries as a result of the incident.

France, Britain to hold Air Exercise in March

As part of the British-French defense treaty signed in November 2010, the Armee de l'Air will hold a weeklong exercise with the Royal Air Force over French airspace in late March. Dubbed Thousand Mistral, 25 to 30 French aircraft will fly in the exercise alongside about ten RAF aircraft.

France Purchases 200 Meteor Missiles for Rafales

The French Defence Ministry has announced that a batch of 200 Meteor air-to-air missiles has been ordered to equip Armee de l'Air and Aeronavale Dassault Rafale fighters. The first Meteors will be delivered to the French military in 2018 with integration and certification on the Rafale to take place in the intevening period.

Day of first flights for Eurocopter military helicopters

In a day of first flights, December 17th saw the first NH90 tactical helicopters for both France and Spain make their first flights. The French and Spanish have ordered 34 and 45 of the tactical helicopters.

Meanwhile the first Eurocopter Tiger HAD for France has also made its first flight.

France test fires new ASMP-A nuclear missile

An Armee de l'Air Mirage 2000N has test fired the new ASMP-A nuclear missile (without the warhead). The test-firing was reported to be a success.

NOTE: The article is in French, so if your French skills are non-existent like mine, Google Translator is your best friend.

PHOTO: Multinational Aircraft at CRUZEX

(Click on thumbnail for high res image)
Aircraft participate in the Southern Cross exercise Nov. 11, 2010, at Natal Air Base, Brazil. CRUZEX is a multinational, combined exercise involving the air forces of Brazil, Chile, Uruguay, Argentina and France. This was the first time the U.S. Air Force was invited to participate. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Master Sgt. John Rohrer)

France, United Kingdom sign historic defence cooperation deal

The political leaders of France and the UK have signed a defence cooperation deal lasting 50 years, that includes, among other things:

• An integrated strike force ensuring aircraft can operate off both the planned British carrier and the French carrier Charles de Gaulle. Britain will modify its future aircraft carrier to make it compatible with French aircraft.


• A joint common support plan for the future fleets of A400m transport aircraft being brought by both countries.


• Joint development work on UAVs

French Form Rafale Training Squadron

France has stood up a squadron of Rafale F3 multirole fighters in Eastern France to train pilots transitioning to the new combat aircraft. The new unit, designated 2/92 Aquitaine, will serve to train beginner pilots, navigators and crew flying older generation aircraft for service on Rafale.

French Air Force facing capability gaps

With budget cuts looming, the Armee de l'Air will face capability gaps as a project to upgrade the Mirage 2000D is likely to be delayed. The Mirage 2000D Mid Life Upgrade was to have replaced the retiring Mirage F1 in the ELINT role.

France sends Mirage F1CR, Atlantic to Niger to locate hostages

France has deployed an Armee de l'Air Atlantic 2 Maritime Reconnaissance aircraft and a Mirage F1CR jet equipped with sensors to Niger in a bid to locate seven hostages believed to be seized by Al Qaeda in Maghreb, the terrorist organization's North African offshoot.

European transport command opens for business

A new organisation tasked with co-ordinating the military transport and air-to-air refuelling activities of four European air forces has begun operating at Eindhoven air base in the Netherlands. The European Air Transport Command (EATC) is a collaboration between Belgium, France, Germany and the Netherlands.

French Air Force accused of scaring 5,000 chickens to death

The Armee de l'Air has been accused by a farmer in Brittany of killing 5,000 of his chickens after its aircraft flew over their coop at low level. The Air Force admits flying over the area at the time, but insist their aircraft were flying at a permitted altitude.