Apr. 26, 2012 - 02:44PM | By Vivek Raghuvanshi
NEW DELHI — Following the crashes of two Indian Mirage 2000-Hs in February and March, the Air Force has temporarily stopped training its pilots on the French-built aircraft, Defence Minister A.K. Antony told Parliament on April 26.
The Air Force has 49 Mirage 2000-Hs bought in the late 1980s from aircraft maker Dassault.
“All routine training flying on the Mirage 2000 fleet has been temporarily stopped as a precautionary measure,” Antony said, according to an official Defence Ministry news release.
“Based on the results of the initial investigations of the accidents, certain checks have been instituted by the [Air Force]. Commencement of flying of the Mirage 2000 fleet is being undertaken in stages post completion of checks. Technical defect was the cause of both accidents.”
The aircraft had been grounded following the March crash.
Air Force sources said there were problems with the engines of both of the Mirages that crashed.
India selected Dassault as the preferred vendor in the country’s $11 billion Medium Multirole Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) deal, which is likely to be finalized this year after the contact negotiations with Dassault are completed. Dassault would supply its Rafale fighter aircraft for the program.
A Defence Ministry official here said the Mirage crashes will have no bearing on the outcome of the MMRCA deal.
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