A French Naval Aviation Rafale M fighter made an emergency landing at Malta International Airport last Sunday night (06). The fighter, which is part of the aircraft embarked on the aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle, failed to reach its final destination as the nozzle of the in-flight refueling probe broke.
The incident was confirmed by the French Navy and the airport istration. According to the latter, the fighter landed at 19:30 pm, as it did not have enough fuel to complete its journey.
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After landing, the aircraft taxied to Patio 2 of the airport. That same night, an NH90 NFH Caïman helicopter, also from the French Navy, took parts and a team of technicians to repair the fighter. After repairs, the Rafale took off at around 00:16, heading east, returning to the aircraft carrier. Aircraft movement was recorded by the Malta Spotting Page and horizon.
Located in front of the aircraft, the probe (also called probe) allows the fighter to receive fuel from another aircraft in flight, increasing its autonomy Depending on the distances to be covered, the operation becomes extremely important, as is the case with naval aircraft , who fly in the middle of the sea where there is no airport nearby.
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The nuclear aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle (R91) has been since the 01st fulfilling his first operational trip 2022. The deployment, called CLEMENCEAU 22, takes the ship and its battle group to the Mediterranean Sea, where it will operate with vessels from other countries, including the US Navy's nuclear aircraft carrier USS Harry Truman.
Part of the group, including ships and aircraft, is expected to enter the Black Sea, a region that is part of the theater of tensions in Europe, due to the possibility of a major Russian invasion of Ukraine. At this time, six landing ships of the Russian fleet are moving across the Mediterranean to enter the Black Sea.
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The French aircraft carrier carries 20 Rafale M fighters, two E-2C Hawkeye early warning aircraft, two Dauphin/Panther helicopters and an NH90 NFH Caïman. The French component of the group is called Task Force 473 (TF 473).
