7,790, 7,791, 7,792… This British Company Reveals The Secret Behind Pakistani Fighter Jets Downed During Operation Sindoor
On 16 April this year, the firm put out a post, as cited by The Print, 'Yesterday, a Pakistan Air Force Mirage V ROSE aircraft crashed near Ratta Tibba, Vehari. Both pilots successfully ejected using the Martin-Baker PRM4 seat.'
The update set the total at 7,784 lives saved.
Then came 7 May. Another post appeared. 'Yesterday, a USN F/A-18F Super Hornet from VFA-11 crashed into the Red Sea after a failed arrestment occurred during a night landing on the USS Harry S. Truman. Both air crew successfully ejected using the Martin-Baker US14A (NACES) Seat,' it said.
The new total climbed to 7,788.
On the same day, Martin-Baker reported a different accident. 'Earlier today, a Finnish Defence Force (FDF) F/A-18C Hornet crashed while practising for an air show near Rovaniemi in Lapland. The pilot successfully ejected using the Martin-Baker SF-14A (NACES) Seat,' the company posted.
That made it 7,789 lives saved.
Yet something did not add up. The numbers 7,785 and 7,786 never appeared with any public incident. That gap pointed to at least one unreported crash, possibly two.
The company's next public update came on July 31. 'Yesterday, an A-29A Super Tucano was involved in a midair collision over Porto Ferreira. The pilot successfully ejected using the Martin-Baker BR10LCX Ejection Seat,' it posted.
That brought the total to 7,793.
No Indian Air Force crash matched the missing figures. The only loss in that period was a Jaguar on a training sortie. Both pilots died without ejecting.
The mystery could have an answer. On Saturday, Air Chief Marshal A.P. Singh said India's S-400 Triumf air defence system had shot down five Pakistani fighter jets during an 88-hour conflict in May.
Pakistan's JF-17 and F-16 fighters carry Martin-Baker ejection seats. The Chinese-built J-10s do not. The timing of the missing figures fits the days of the conflict. That makes a strong case that at least three Pakistani pilots pulled the Martin-Baker handle and lived to tell the tale. The British company stayed silent on the combat link. Its numbers, however, spoke volumes.
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