What happened
On 12 February 2013, a serious loss of separation occurred near Dubai International Airport involving a UAEAF BAE Hawk and an Emirates Airlines Boeag 777-300ER, registration A6-EBD.
During a military special mission exercise, the BAE Hawk was transiting the Dubai Control Zone at high speed and low altitude. Simultaneously, the Emirates Boeing 777-300ER was cleared for takeoff from runway 12R. As the passenger aircraft climbed, the flight paths of the two aircraft converged. The BAE Hawk was traveling at approximately 360 knots at an altitude of roughly 500 feet AGL.
As the aircraft approached a collision point, the pilot of the BAE Hawk executed a rapid, hard left turn to avoid intersecting the climb profile of the departing airliner. The crew of the Boeing 777-300ER, which was carrying 431 persons, reported receiving a TCAS Traffic Advisory (TA) during the encounter. No injuries or aircraft damage were reported.
The investigation
The GCAA AAIS investigation focused on the breakdown of separation and the communication failures leading to the event. Investigators examined radar data, which showed the BAE Hawk had been observed transiting various control zones prior to the incident.
Key elements examined included the coordination between military and civil air traffic control units, specifically the communication between Al Maktoum International Airport (OMDW) and Dubai Tower. The investigation also reviewed the BAE Hawk's radio communications, noting that the aircraft was transmitting on a frequency different from the one required to communicate with the relevant Dubai controllers.