Maui, deputy leader of the Karenni Nationalities Defence Force (KNDF), announced on 3/7 that the group had shot down a Myanmar military FTC-2000G fighter jet. The incident occurred during intense fighting near the town of Hpasawng in Kayah state, approximately 160 km southeast of the capital, Naypyitaw.

Maui stated that the wreckage and the bodies of two pilots were found on the morning of 3/7. He also provided a photo of KNDF members posing with the debris.

KNDF members next to the wreckage of the fighter jet they claim to have shot down. Photo: MMTV

KNDF members next to the wreckage of the fighter jet they claim to have shot down. Photo: MMTV

The Myanmar military has not commented on the claim.

Myanmar's state-run newspaper, Myanma Alinn, previously reported that a fighter jet "disappeared from radar and lost contact during a training exercise" in an area about 130 km southeast of Naypyitaw. The newspaper suggested the cause could be "technical failure or bad weather", adding that search and rescue operations were underway. The report did not specify the type of aircraft or the fate of the crew.

The FTC-2000G is a Chinese-developed supersonic jet trainer and light fighter aircraft designed for the export market. It is based on the JJ-7 trainer, used to train pilots on the J-7, a copy of the Soviet MiG-21 fighter. The aircraft can reach a top speed of 1,480 km/h and carry up to 3 tons of weapons on 7 hardpoints.

It is unclear how many FTC-2000G aircraft Myanmar ordered, but the country appears to have received a total of 12.

Kayah is the smallest state in Myanmar and is predominantly populated by the Karenni ethnic minority. The region has experienced intense conflict with the central government, particularly since the military coup in February 2021.

Ngoc Anh (According to AP)