Draken contractors fly from 18 to 24 adversary air sorties a day at the base, “supporting the USAF Weapons School, operational test missions, Red Flag exercises, Formal Training Unit syllabus rides from Luke Air Force Base, Arizona, as well as combat readiness training out of Hill Air Force Base, Utah,” according to a 2018 release. In June 2018, Draken won a $280 million contract, which runs through December 2023, to continue flying at Nellis. The first F1 adversary air flight was just over a year ago, when F1s challenged USAF F-15E Strike Eagles on March 18, 2020. The company recently started introducing French-built Mirage F1s, acquired from the Spanish air force, and Atlas Cheetahs, acquired from South Africa. A company spokesperson said no additional information is available at this time.ĭraken originally started flying so-called “Red Air” missions at Nellis in 2015, using L-159 Honey Badgers and A-4 Skyhawks. An Air Combat Command spokesperson told Air Force Magazine, “there’s no immediate operational impacts that we’re aware of,” and referred any addition questions to Draken. It’s not clear whether Draken’s fleet is now grounded. Draken US is also cooperating with investigating agencies to determine what led to this tragic accident.”

We are doing everything in our power to assist them in this time of need, and we are working closely with federal, state, and local authorities. “Our thoughts and prayers go out to the people and families affected by this event. “Draken has received news of a downed aircraft out of Nellis AFB and the tragic loss of one of our pilots,” the company said in a statement. No one else was on board at the time of the crash, according to a release. The pilot’s name has not yet been released. The Mirage was owned and operated by Florida-based Draken International, which has flown adversarial air against pilots training at Nellis since 2015. Officials are still investigating the cause of the fatal Mirage F1 crash on the south side of Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, around 2:30 p.m.

Draken plane