A Rafale fighter jet is believed to have been gunned down by an Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicle (UCAV) over Sudan, reports claimed. The twin-engine, French-made jet was being flown by pilots backing the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) when it was reportedly downed by the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) using a Turkish UCAV.
It was an air-to-air missile used by a Bayraktar Akıncı drone that hit the jet, which is considered among the most advanced human-piloted fighter aircraft of the century.
Videos have popped up on the internet showing a warplane—said to be a Rafale—spinning out of control before plummeting after being hit over the skies of the civil war-torn African nation. If this unverified clip's authenticity is proven, this could reportedly be the first case in modern aviation history where a twin-engine fighter aircraft was taken out by a Turkish combat drone using an air-to-air missile.
Dassault Rafales come with the most modern electronic warfare systems and network radars, which are supposed to make life easier for pilots in high-threat airspace.
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If a relatively low-cost drone like the Bayraktar Akıncı managed to take out one of these jets mid-air, it will have far-reaching implications across the world. It would challenge long-held assumptions about the survivability of fighter aircraft against large-scale drone threats, Defence Security Asia said in a report.
The Rapid Support Forces in Sudan are backed by the United Arab Emirates, which would explain the presence of these costly jets in Sudan. However, the Gulf state, which recently acknowledged having executed airstrikes in Iran, has not acknowledged deploying the Rafale for military operations in Sudan.
How lethal are Bayraktar Akıncı drones?
The Bayraktar Akıncı is a twin-engine UCAV that can be used for air-to-air and air-to-ground operations. It has a service ceiling of 40,000 feet and normally operates at 30,000 feet. It can cover up to 6,000 km and fly at speeds ranging from 150 to 240 KTAS.
It is designed to stay airborne for more than 24 hours and can carry payloads weighing up to 1,500 kg, whilst its maximum take-off weight is 6,000 kg.
Take-off, landing, cruising, and taxiing can be done autonomously, and the aircraft can be equipped with laser-guided smart weapons, missiles, and long-range systems. It is available in three versions—AKINCI-A, AKINCI-B, and AKINCI-C. In terms of size, the aircraft has a wingspan of 20 metres, a length of 12.3 metres, and a height of 4.1 metres.
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Its first three units entered service with the Turkish Armed Forces on August 29, 2021, and current operators of the popular platform include Somalia, Pakistan, Morocco, Burkina Faso, Azerbaijan, Mali, and the UAE.
War in Sudan
The North African country is described as the world's largest humanitarian challenge, notably in terms of displacement and hunger. There is no end in sight to the fighting between the military and the paramilitary group RSF, which witnesses and aid groups say has laid waste to parts of the vast Darfur region.
Growing evidence shows regional powers like the United Arab Emirates backing rival combatants behind the scenes. Attempts by the United States and regional powers, now distracted by the Iran war, have failed to establish a ceasefire.
