Pakistan Air Force Mirage aircraft crashes

Islamabad, Apr 20 (UNI) A Pakistan Air Force (PAF) Mirage combat aircraft crashed near Karachi today.

The pilot was safe and no loss of life or property was reported on the ground, a PAF spokesman said here today.

He said the French-origin Mirage was on a routine training mission when it crashed after developing technical problems.

Pakistan is the second country after France, which is not only maintaining a big fleet of Mirages but is also overhauling the planes of the PAF and air forces of several friendly countries including United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Besides Mirages, the PAF's fleet currently comprises US-origin F-16s and Chinese-made F-7s, F-7PGs and A-5s. Pakistan is also set to begin serial production of JF-17 (Thunder) aircraft from next year, which it manufactured jointly with China.

UNI XC ARB HT1700