Latest news with #Mirage
Straits Times
2 hours ago
- Business
- Straits Times
Ukraine's military loses first French Mirage fighter jet in crash
Find out what's new on ST website and app. A Mirage 2000 fighter jet supplied to Ukraine from France crashed on Tuesday after experiencing equipment failure during an assignment, with the pilot ejecting safely, Ukraine's military said. It was the first loss of a Mirage jet since Ukraine's military started receiving them earlier this year. "Equipment failure occurred, which the pilot reported to the flight controller," a military statement said on Telegram. "The pilot then acted competently, as is expected in crisis situations, and successfully ejected. A rescue crew found the pilot in a stable condition. There were no casualties on the ground." Ukrainian news reports said the incident occurred in the northwestern Volyn region. Ukraine's military announced the arrival of the first batch of Mirage aircraft in February. U.S.-made F-16 fighter jets began arriving last year from different countries as Ukraine's Western allies sought to help Kyiv upgrade its largely Soviet-era air force fleet. REUTERS Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Two found dead after fire in Toa Payoh flat Singapore Singaporeans aged 21 to 59 can claim $600 SG60 vouchers from July 22 Singapore Singaporeans continue to hold world's most powerful passport in latest ranking Singapore Singapore, Vietnam agree to step up defence ties, dialogue between leaders Asia Malaysia govt's reform pledge tested as DAP chief bows over unresolved 2009 death of political aide Tech Singapore to increase pool of early adopters in AI to complement data scientists, engineers Singapore Prosecution says judge who acquitted duo of bribing ex-LTA official had copied defence arguments Singapore Ports and planes: The 2 Singapore firms helping to keep the world moving
India.com
a day ago
- Politics
- India.com
Will India lose chance to upgrade its Mirage-2000 fighter jets due to…, is it following the Rafale precedent? Source code…
Will India lose chance to upgrade its Mirage-2000 fighter jets due to…, is it following the Rafale precedent? Source code… The Indian Air Force is in the process of strengthening its aerial combat strength. By Tahir Qureshi Edited by Tahir Qureshi Advertisement New Delhi: We have been talking about the Rafale and Tejas fighter jets of the Indian Air Force (IAF). Our focus has mainly been on these two aircraft and somehow the pundits have missed to make an observation about another plane. It is the Mirage-2000 fighter jet. Reports say that the Indian Air Force is in the process of strengthening its aerial combat strength and for the purpose, it is engaged in critical upgrade of the Mirage-2000 fighter jet fleet. The proposal involves equipping the aircraft with the indigenous Astra Mk2, an advanced, domestically developed, Beyond Visual Range Air-to-Air Missile (BVRAAM) being developed by India's Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). What should India look for from France? For this project of upgrading the Mirage-2000, a strong and highly professional partnership is required with the Dassault Aviation of France, which manufactured these single-engine, multirole planes. To put it simply, the Mirage 2000 being operated by is a product of the same company which manufactured the Rafale aircraft, now deployed by the Indian Air Force. Here, in this situation, it is imperative to address and resolve a critical capability gap in long-range engagements and ensure that the IAF's Mirage inventory is not only updated but matches the latest fifth generation fighter jets being operated by the elite group and as before, the old hand remains a challenging resource irrespective of the modern aerial combat strategies and designs. Advertisement === Why is Mirage-2000 so highly placed? The Mirage-2000 aircraft has been at the forefront of India's aerial superiority as proved during the 1999 Kargil War and 2019 Balakot strikes. The IAF is operating about 50 Mirage-2000 aircraft for decades and it has yielded encouraging results. This machine has been a cornerstone of India's air power for long. Now is just the right time to modernise them as their current armament, the French-made MICA missiles, have a maximum range of about 80 kilometres which is much shorter than the missiles fielded by regional adversaries, such as China's PL-15 which has an estimated range of 200-300 km on its J-20 jets and Pakistan's AIM-120C-7 with a range of around 120 km on its JF-17. What is the solution? Coming back to the upgradation part, the Mirage is too precious to be left behind as we look forward to acquire new machines. What we need to do is do is work on the machine and the weapons it can operate to be among the equals in the present air power scenario. The Mirage-2000 is currently at a disadvantage in modern beyond-visual-range (BVR) combat, where the ability to detect and fire from a greater distance is paramount. This brings us back to the proposal to equip the aircraft with the Astra Mk2 advanced, domestically developed, Beyond Visual Range Air-to-Air Missile (BVRAAM) being developed by India's Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). The Astra Mk2 has a reported range of 160-180 km which denotes a big leap over its predecessor, the 110-km range Astra Mk1. Advertisement === What are the hindrances? The project faces a significant technical and diplomatic obstacle as witnessed just before the commencement of Operation Sindoor where France did not share the source code of IAF's Rafale. This is like a replay of the seeking of the source code to facilitate weapons of our choice. Powered by a dual-pulse solid rocket motor for enhanced speed and manoeuvrability, the Astra Mk2 is designed to compete with leading global missiles. But here is the hitch! The Mirage-2000's Thales RDY radar system is not currently compatible with the Astra Mk2. To integrate Astra Mk2 with Mirage-2000, the IAF needs the radar's source code, which is the exclusive technology of the French firms. Even though the Indian Air Force is reportedly holding parleys with Dassault Aviation to get access to the code, history tells us that France has kept strict controls on its defence technology exports. Dassault Aviation might ask for a big amount go share the source code, and with the Mirage-2000 expected to remain in service until at least 2035, the missile upgrade and integration are on high priority.
Pink Villa
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Pink Villa
What is the story of Drishyam 3? Jeethu Joseph spills tea on Mohanlal's return as Georgekutty
Mohanlal recently announced work on Drishyam 3. The project will be directed by Jeethu Joseph once again and this time, the Malayalam film will release at the same time as the launch of its Hindi version. Jeethu Joseph spills beans on what Drishyam 3 will be about Attending a recent event for the Film and Drama Club of Nirmala College in Muvattupuzha, Jeethu Joseph left everyone intrigued as he spilled beans on what exactly the audiences can expect from Drishyam 3, in terms of its storyline. Without giving any detailed spoilers, he mentioned that this time, the film would be more about Georgekutty's family and not any external interference. He said, 'Drishyam 3 is more of a story that unfolds within the family, focusing on their evolving dynamics and changing perspectives. It explores how the characters, especially the children, grow and process past events differently over time.' Jeethu Joseph about completing the script of Drishyam 3 In another excerpt of the same interview, the filmmaker discussed the exhaustive process he underwent for completing the script work of the first draft of the movie. He highlighted being under a lot of pressure for the same. In his words, 'Between the shoots of Mirage and Valathu Vashathe Kallan, I would wake up every day at 3:30 a.m. to write. It was a real struggle, physically and mentally exhausting. But yesterday, I finally felt a sense of relief.' When will Drishyam 3 go on floors? As per a previous report by Cinema For You, it was revealed that Jeethu Joseph and Mohanlal would begin shooting for Drishyam 3 in September 2025. This also indicated that the two of them once again pushed back the date of their other impending project, Ram. An official confirmation is awaited on the matter. Mohanlal's work front L365 directed by Austin Das Thomas.
India Today
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- India Today
Drishyam director recalls issuing warning to makers of Ajay Devgn starrer
Jeethu Joseph, the original writer-director of the 'Drishyam' films, has postponed the early production of the Hindi version of 'Drishyam 3', starring Ajay Devgn. This decision ensures that the Malayalam version, with Mohanlal in the lead, will proceed first. Joseph revealed in an interview that the makers of the Hindi version initially attempted to start production earlier, but backed off after receiving a legal in an interview with Mathrubhumi stated, 'There were demands on making Malayalam and Hindi versions together, but we haven't decided on those matters. There were initially some plans to start in Hindi first, but after a hint was given that this would be dealt with legally, they backed off from it.' The Malayalam version is expected to commence filming in October this year, while more details about the Hindi version remain Jeethu Joseph is putting his efforts into the screenplay of 'Drishyam 3'. He recently mentioned at a college event that he had finished writing the climax of the film, stating, 'I finished writing the climax of 'Drishyam 3' last night. I've been under immense pressure for a long time.' The director is also juggling two other projects, 'Mirage' and 'Valathu Vashathe Kallan', which has added to his workload. The 'Drishyam' franchise began with the 2013 Malayalam film, which became a major success and was subsequently remade in several languages. The narrative revolves around Georgekutty, a man who goes to great lengths to protect his family from a suspicious missing person case. In an exclusive conversation with Mohanlal said, ''Drishyam' has done great things. It gave a great uplift to the Malayalam industry. We produced that film during the Covid-led pandemic. That film was viewed by the entire India. Now they know about the Malayalam industry. They started watching more Malayalam films [after 'Drishyam']. It became a blessing for the industry, [even] internationally.'On the work front, Mohanlal, having delivered two blockbusters already in 2025 with 'L2: Empuraan' and 'Thudarum', will next be seen in 'Hridayapoorvam'. Ajay Devgn was last seen in the hit film 'Raid 2' and will next be seen in 'Son of Sardaar 2', which is slated to release in theatres on August 1.- Ends
Pink Villa
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Pink Villa
Jeethu Joseph raises legal warnings against Ajay Devgn's Drishyam 3 makers for trying an early start before Mohanlal starrer
Drishyam 3, starring Mohanlal in the lead role, is in the making with Jeethu Joseph slated to helm it once again. While more details about the production are yet to be made, the Malayalam movie director revealed how he prevented the makers of the Hindi version from getting an early start. How did Jeethu Joseph prevent Ajay Devgn's Drishyam 3 from being made before Mohanlal's version? Talking to Mathrubhumi, Jeethu Joseph said, 'There were demands on making Malayalam and Hindi versions together, but we haven't decided on those matters. There were initially some plans to start in Hindi first, but after a hint was given that this would be dealt with legally, they backed off from it.' For those unaware, there were early reports that Ajay Devgn starrer Drishyam 3 would begin production soon. However, as Jeethu Joseph, the original film's writer-director, is still penning the screenplay, the Malayalam version itself is expected to go on floors from October this year. What did Jeethu Joseph have to say about writing Drishyam 3 climax? Director Jeethu Joseph was recently seen appearing at a college for the inauguration of the Film and Drama Club. As he was making a speech at the venue, the filmmaker said, 'I finished writing the climax of Drishyam 3 last night. I've been under immense pressure for a long time.' As the director is currently involved in the production of two other movies, including Mirage and Valathu Vashathe Kallan, he revealed that he has been waking up at 3:30 a.m. every day to write Drishyam 3. About Mohanlal starrer Drishyam Drishyam was a 2013 crime thriller directed by Jeethu Joseph. The film tells the story of Georgekutty, a family man who lives with his wife and two children. In a rather striking turn of events, the man, along with his family, comes under suspicion in Varun Prabhakar's missing case. The rest of the film focuses on how Georgekutty manages to evade the police and protect his family from harm. In 2021, the film received a sequel, continuing the story of Georgekutty once again. The movies were remade in multiple languages over the years, including the Ajay Devgn starrer of the same name.
