--- title: "Mirage F1 Aggressor Jet Crash Lands At Tyndall Air Force Base (Updated)" description: "Details are still emerging about an incident involving a contracted “red air” adversary jet at the sprawling Florida base." date: "2021-02-25" modified: "2021-02-26" authors: - name: "Thomas Newdick" job_title: "Staff Writer" link: "https://www.twz.com/authors/thomas-newdick.md" url: "https://www.twz.com/39472/contractor-flown-mirage-f1-aggressor-crash-lands-at-tyndall-air-force-base-reports" categories: - "Aggressors" - "Air" - "Air Forces" - "Americas" - "Around The Globe" - "ATAC" - "Bunkers & Installations" - "News & Features" - "Private Contractor Adversary Support" - "U.S. Air Force" - "U.S. Homeland" tags: - "adversary air" - "Airborne Tactical Advantage Company" - "ATAC" - "Florida" - "Mirage" - "Mirage F1" - "Red Air" - "Textron" - "Tyndall Air Force Base" --- # Mirage F1 Aggressor Jet Crash Lands At Tyndall Air Force Base (Updated) ![]() *www.twz.com* Reports are coming in of an unspecified “incident” involving a [Mirage F1 fighter jet]() operated by the [Airborne Tactical Advantage Company](), or ATAC, at [Tyndall Air Force Base in Florida](). An official statement from the base's public affairs office confirmed that an incident occurred at around 11:25 AM local time, but offered no additional details. The first indications that something had gone wrong at the Florida airbase were provided on Tyndall’s own Twitter account, which stated that “an aircraft incident occurred on base” and that this was “currently under investigation.” At this stage, there has been no mention of any loss of life or injury, but [*Military.com* has reported]() that one of ATAC’s Mirages — apparently a two-seat Mirage F1B model — was involved. ![message-editor%2F1614289299667-inlineatacmiragef1b.jpg]() *One of the ATAC Mirage F1Bs., *CAULUN BELCHER IMAGES** Prior to that, local news [reports]() said that “multiple agencies responded to the base” to assist. According to eyewitnesses, the agencies responded on the flight-line side of the base. https://twitter.com/_/status/1365022417115054080 [Unconfirmed]() reports [claim that the Mirage]() in question had a landing gear failure and made a belly landing in a field adjacent to the flight line. These also contend that the two crew survived, one ejecting and the other remaining onboard the jet. We must stress that this is the information we have heard from our sources and in open sources, and it could change as the story unfolds. https://twitter.com/_/status/1365001191608836100 As a commercial contractor supplying the Air Force with aggressor support under its huge [“red air” adversary support]() program, ATAC operates a diverse fleet that includes 61 former French Air Force Mirage F1 supersonic, radar-equipped fighters, the original design of which dates back to the late 1960s. ATAC, which is part of Textron Airborne Solutions, procured the single-seat Mirage F1CR/CT and two-seat F1B jets in anticipation of the Air Force adversary support requirement. The jets began arriving at its new Adversary Center of Excellence (ATAC-ACE), at Fort Worth Alliance Airport, Texas, in June 2017. These aircraft were then returned to airworthy status, with the first refurbished Mirage F1 — a two-seat B model — [taking to the air at Alliance Airport]() on August 22, 2019. ![message-editor%2F1614289361667-message-editor\_1595885516777-atacf1.jpg]() *An ATAC Mirage F1CR., *ATAC** Around 45 of the ATAC Mirage F1s are set to be upgraded with new avionics, radars, and electronic warfare systems. These jets will join the company’s supersonic Kfirs and subsonic L-39 Albatros trainers, as well as its [Hawker Hunter Mk 58s](). In [this past story,]() you can read about why the F1, in particular, is such an attractive aggressor for the kind of higher-end adversary training that is now seeing increasing demand. The Air Force’s Air Combat Command (ACC) awarded seven companies contracts worth up to a combined total of $6.4 billion on October 18, 2019, to provide adversary air support over the next five years. As well as ATAC, the other companies awarded contracts were [Air USA](), [Blue Air Training](), Coastal Defense, [Draken International](), [Tactical Air Support]() (TacAir), and Top Aces. ATAC’s biggest competitor, Draken International, has [also bought 22 Mirage F1s](), these being former Spanish Air Force examples. For its part, Tyndall Air Force Base is prized for its direct access to approximately 130,000 square miles of training airspace over the Gulf of Mexico. It supports around 20,000 jobs in the communities surrounding the base and generates millions of dollars for the local economy each year. These facts prompted state politicians and [Florida’s members of Congress]() to press to keep the facility open even after it was [decimated]() by Hurricane Michael in 2018. The Air Force is now eyeing plans to field three full squadrons of [F-35A Joint Strike Fighters]() at Tyndall as part of the base’s ongoing modernization. ![message-editor%2F1614292338454-201214-f-yo405-0009.jpg]() *A patch on the flight suit of an ATAC pilot at Tyndall Air Force Base., *U.S. Air Force/Staff Sgt. Magen M. Reeve** The first ATAC Mirages arrived at Tyndall [last December 14](). This detachment comprises around six aircraft, five pilots, and 30 maintenance personnel. Over the next few years, the ATAC unit is expected to fly more than 1,100 sorties to provide adversary air support to the 43rd Fighter Squadron, which is the schoolhouse for the F-22 Raptor, and the 58th Fighter Squadron, the schoolhouse for the F-35A. The Mirages are planned to replace Tyndall’s current fleet of [T-38 Talon jet trainers]() in this role. We have reached out to ATAC for comment and we will continue to update this story as more details emerge. ***UPDATE: 5:45 PM EST*** Officials at Tyndall Air Force Base have now issued the following statement from Air Force Colonel Gregory Moseley, head of the 325th Fighter Wing, confirming many of the previously reported details: > Our thoughts and prayers are with the pilots and their families. At approximately 11:25 a.m. this morning a Mirage F1B aircraft contracted through Airborne Tactical Advantage Company (ATAC) crashed off the end of the flight line at Tyndall Air Force Base. First responders were dispatched to the scene immediately and both pilots were taken to a hospital in Panama City, Florida, to assess injuries sustained during the crash. Tyndall is working closely with ATAC to ensure a thorough and timely investigation of the incident occurs. Additional details will be provided as they become available https://twitter.com/_/status/1365066474147221510 ***UPDATE: 6:10 PM EST*** It has been pointed out to us that online flight tracking software shows one of ATAC’s F1Bs, with the U.S. civil registration code N601AX, taking off from Tyndall, immediately heading over the water, and then circling for a period of time, before heading back toward the base. This would seem to indicate that the crew were aware of the issue and may have been burning off fuel before attempting a gear-up landing. https://twitter.com/_/status/1365068807753015296 ***UPDATE: 11:00 AM EST*** Following our request for more details, ATAC kindly got in touch with us and provided a statement on the incident: *“A two-seat ATAC Mirage F1B supporting military flight training at Tyndall Air Force Base slid off the runway, and one of the pilots ejected. ATAC is still gathering information on the incident and we will work with relevant authorities to determine the cause. We ask for your patience and understanding as we work through all the details. We will provide more information as it becomes available.”* The company was also able to confirm that the two pilots were taken to a hospital where they were receiving treatment for non-life-threatening injuries. *Contact the author: thomas@thedrive.com* ## Author Thomas Newdick is a staff writer at *TWZ*, where he covers military aviation, defense technology, weapons systems, and international security. Based in Berlin, Germany, he reports on conflicts, military modernization efforts, and emerging aerospace technologies around the world, with a particular interest in airpower and its role in contemporary warfare. His reporting is informed by deep expertise in modern and historical airpower, particularly in Europe, with a focus on military aviation, air campaigns, and aerospace developments across the continent and beyond. Over a journalism career spanning more than 25 years, Thomas has become known for making complex defense and aerospace topics accessible to a broad audience. His reporting combines technical expertise, historical context, and a focus on the real-world operational and strategic implications of military developments. ### Author social links [Twitter]()