UK ejection seat manufacturer Martin-Baker announced on 28 May 2024 that its products have saved their 7,721st life.
The news follows the loss on 21 May of a Mirage III fighter operated by the Pakistan Air Force, which was on a routine operational training mission from Shorkot Rafiqui Air Base when it crashed near Chak 412 JB Cheemian Wali in Shorkot tehsil, Jhang, 12 km away from the airbase. The pilot of the Mirage successfully ejected using his Martin-Baker PRM6 ejection seat.
So far in 2024 Martin-Baker’s ejection seats have saved the lives of four aircrew, according to the company’s website.
The previous ejection took place on 14 March 2024, when a Turkish Air Force NF-5 registered to the Turkish Stars display team crashed inside the perimeter of Konya Air Base in central Anatolia, south of Ankara. The aircraft was training for aerobatic manoeuvres and crashed into a construction site during a landing attempt. Although one construction worker on the ground was killed, the NF-5 pilot successfully ejected using the aircraft’s Martin-Baker T16J ejection seat.
Prior to that the Indian Air Force announced the first loss of a Tejas Mk 1 Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) to an air crash on 12 March 2024. The Tejas crashed during an operational training sortie near Jaisalmer, Rajasthan, in northern India, with the pilot successfully ejecting using his Martin-Baker IN16G ejection seat.
On 13 February 2024, meanwhile, an Indian Air Force Hawk Mk 132 Advanced Jet Trainer crashed during a training mission near Kalaikunda Air Base in Bengal. Both aircrew successfully ejected using their Martin-Baker IN10LH ejection seats.
![These These images of Tempest studies do not represent an evolution, since several of them were undertaken in parallel. They do represent different emphases on elements of the requirement. The first to be seen was the ‘Pregnant Pelican’, as unveiled at Farnborough in 2018. The Concept Class Five aircraft was unveiled at Farnborough in 2022, while the Lambda-winged aircraft (the P189-17B) was first seen at DSEI Japan the following year. The so-called ‘Big Delta’ was revealed at Farnborough in 2024. [BAE Systems; Ministère des Armées/SITTA]of Tempest studies do not represent an evolution, since several of them were undertaken in parallel. They do represent different emphases on elements of the requirement. The first to be seen was the ‘Pregnant Pelican’, as unveiled at Farnborough in 2018. The Concept Class Five aircraft was unveiled at Farnborough in 2022, while the Lambda-winged aircraft (the P189-17B) was first seen at DSEI Japan the following year. The so-called ‘Big Delta’ was revealed at Farnborough in 2024. [BAE Systems; Ministère des Armées/SITTA]](https://euro-sd.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/7D-RS171720_2620-LONDON-24-IMAGE-01-2-Kopie-218x150.jpg "The Combat Air Flying Demonstrator: Rehearsing and preparing for GCAP")