Two French Rafale fighter jets collided mid-air before crashing to the ground in northeastern France on Wednesday. “One of the pilots was found safe and sound,” Defense Minister Sébastien Lecornu said in a post on X.

Lecornu said on X (machine translated): An accident involving two Rafales from the Rafale 3/4 “Aquitaine” Transformation Squadron took place in Meurthe et Moselle. One of the pilots has been found; he is safe and sound. The search is still ongoing. Thanks to our armed forces and the gendarmes mobilized to search and secure the area.

The Air Force said the squadron’s main mission is training pilots and navigators for the French military. According to reports in French media, the two jets that collided were returning from a mission in Germany.

Earlier, on May 22, 2022, two French Air Force Rafale fighters were involved in a minor mid-air collision but managed to land safely. The incident happened during the Cognac airshow.

Two Rafale C fighter jets from the Vautour Bravo tactical display team of the 30th Fighter Wing performed a basic tactical presentation, which included standard maneuvers used in operational training.

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The pilots had extensively rehearsed the performance, both in real flight sessions and simulators. The weather was favorable, and both fighters were considered airworthy.

Towards the end, while conducting a low-altitude, high-speed pass known as a “show of force” near the runway, the team leader initiated a steep climb for a maneuver called an “Oreille.” 

The wingman followed closely but noticed a significant closure rate. The leader confirmed flying at 200 knots instead of the typical 250 knots for this phase.

The wingman requested an acceleration, leading the leader to increase power and adjust the aircraft’s pitch downward as the wingman approached from behind and beneath.

Despite their efforts to avert a collision, there were two consecutive impacts that resulted in significant damage, including the wingman losing their vertical stabilizer and causing substantial harm to the leader’s right canard.

Though damaged, both aircraft remained under control, allowing the pilots to execute a secure landing at the 709 Cognac-Châteaubernard air base. 

Notably, both pilots emerged from this incident without injuries. However, debris from the collision damaged a house in the nearby town of Gensac-la-Pallue, emphasizing the broader consequences of the mid-air collision.

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