SOURCE: AFI
A recent report by the Indian Defence Research Wing (IDRW) claims a Pakistan Air Force (PAF) JF-17 fighter jet crashed on June 5th, 2024. However, this incident has not been acknowledged by the PAF, any Pakistani media outlets, or Martin-Baker, the manufacturer of the aircraft’s ejection seat.
The alleged crash, if confirmed, would be the fifth known incident involving a JF-17. While social media videos purporting to show the crash have circulated, there’s no official confirmation. This silence extends to Martin-Baker, the manufacturer of the JF-17’s ejection seats. Their “EJECTION NOTICES” section, which typically acknowledges successful seat use, has no mention of this event.
Martin-Baker reportedly relies on the operating forces to confirm use of their seats. However, this lack of independent confirmation raises concerns. Previously, successful ejections from JF-17 crashes were acknowledged by Martin-Baker in August 2021 and September 2020.
The silence surrounding this alleged crash is particularly concerning given the previous JF-17 incidents:
- November 2011: A JF-17A crash resulted in the pilot’s death due to parachute malfunction.
- September 2016: A JF-17A pilot ejected successfully during Exercise High Mark.
These incidents, coupled with reported issues experienced by the Myanmar Air Force with the JF-17’s vertical stabilizer, highlight the importance of transparency in acknowledging crashes and addressing any underlying technical problems.
PAF that is trying to export the fighter jet has been hiding its own crash records so that it doesn’t dent image of the jet that has been reported to have been facing many issues with Myanmar air force due to structural issues in vertical stabilizer.