Martin-Baker Quietly Reveals Indian Rafale Losses

Reading Time: 2 minutes Martin-Baker, the British manufacturer of ejection seats for frontline combat aircraft, has inadvertently disclosed a significant development: the loss of three Indian Air Force Rafale fighters during the May 2025 standoff with Pakistan. In a recent update, the company raised its total tally of pilots saved to 7,788, four more than its previous figure of 7,784. While one of those four ejections was confirmed to involve a U.S. Navy F/A-18, the remaining three were withheld from public disclosure “at the request of the customer.” Given the Indian Air Force’s exclusive use of Martin-Baker Mk.16 ejection seats in South Asia, and that other IAF fighters such as the Su-30MKI and MiG-29UPG use Russian systems, the identity of these three aircraft is clear. Combat Losses Amidst Official Silence The Indian Ministry of Defence has not publicly acknowledged any Rafale losses during the recent conflict. However, multiple credible sources