Know About Mirage 2000 Fighter Aircraft –

Know About Mirage 2000 Fighter Aircraft –

The Mirage 2000 is a multirole combat fighter by Dassault Aviation of France.
It was designed as a lightweight fighter based on the Mirage III in 1970s for the French Air Force.

India has acquired a total of 51 Mirages, which include 41 single-seater Mirage 2000Hs and 10 two-seater Mirage 2000TH trainers.



In year 1985 26 single-seaters and 4 two-seaters was shipped to the Indian Air Force
And later remaining batch of fighters arrived

The Indian Air Force named the Mirage 2000 Vajra (Thunderbolt)

As per current negotiations between India and France it has been reported that IAF is going to upgrade old Mirage 2000H to Mirage-2000-5 Mk 2 variant with new radar systems, a new weapon suite, missiles, electronic warfare system etc.

This will increase the life of Mirage 2000 fighters to 20 years.

Mirage 2000-5 Mark 2 which is currently the most advanced variant of the Mirage 2000
The Mirage 2000-5 Mk2 is ideally suited to interception and air superiority missions.
The Mirage 2000-5 Mk2 is entirely suited to high-altitude interception operations at high supersonic speeds (Mach 2.2 at 50,000ft)

Important Features of Mirage 2000-5 Mark 2

RDY 2 radar –
The RDY 2 radar manufactured by the Thales company is a latest-generation look-up / look-down long-range radar. Its ability to switch automatically in the detection, tracking and fire-control modes makes it unrivalled for air-to-air missions.
Leading technical characteristics are as follows:

•In air-defense mission, the RDY 2 multimode radar can simultaneously detect up to 24 targets at all altitudes.

•It can track up to eight targets simultaneously and track four priority targets automatically in both the vertical and horizontal planes. It can evaluate the effects of beyond-visual-range attacks.

•In air-to-surface mission, it is capable to identify accurately fixed or mobile targets, and to designate them to the weapons.

•The RDY 2 radar satisfies the essential requirements of modern aerial combat, including firing against multiple targets. The radar employs three pulse repetition frequencies (PRF), with automatic monitoring frequencies for target detection purposes. The system is effective at all altitudes and ensures early detection, coupled with continuous target tracking of a very high standard.

•The RDY 2 radar is designed to use capabilities in the areas of reconnaissance based on high-resolution images.

•A laser gyro, GPS-coupled, inertial system featuring a high level of reliability, accuracy and a short alignment time (on ground alert, as well as in flight).

•A fully integrated internal countermeasures system capable of detecting, identifying and localising the most dangerous air-to-air and ground-to-air threats with the highest accuracy; this system includes multiple jamming and decoying capabilities. Thanks to interferometric sensors, the localisation accuracy provides the option of designating ground-to-air targets to weapons during a SEAD mission.

•A multifunction data link system.
To assist the pilot in the management of his mission, and to ease reconfigurations, the "Glass Cockpit" technology has been adapted for the Mirage 2000-5 Mk2.
The instrument panel includes 5 displays, among which 3 are color displays. The central screen is mainly dedicated to the tactical situation display. In between this screen and the Head-Up display, another screen -collimated to infinity - displays the main sensor image (radar or laser designation pod). This unique display layout allows the pilot to shift instantly from head-up flying to internal and external monitoring.

Among the other major evolutions of the Mirage 2000-5 Mk2, one can mention:

•A modular avionics concept.

•New larger lateral displays.

•New back-seat colour display repeater.

•Helmet-mounted sight.

•Automatic terrain-following system based on a digital terrain file.

•Digital map on a head-down display.

•An aircraft-to-missile datalink with an increased number of channels.

•A discrete multimode datalink system.

•The new Damocles laser designation pod featuring:
o3-5µm infrared imagery,
oincreased laser range.

•A Flir imager integrated into the Damocles pylon.

•On-board oxygen generation system.

•Combined air-to-air and air-to-ground configurations.

•New multi-channel recording system.

•Increased maximum take off weight (17.5 t).

•Very long range stand-off air-to-ground missiles.

•The introduction of the IR Mica missile.

To date, 5 different air forces have chosen the new-generation Mirage 2000-5 under a program involving almost 200 aircraft.
About 600 Mirage 2000 are operational world-wide; they equip eight Air Forces

Dimensions:

Span - 29.9 ft

Length - 47 ft

Combat weight - 21,000 lbs.

Maximum thrust of the SNECMA M53-P2..98 kN

Two versions - single and twin-seater

Internal weapons (single-seater)..2 * 30 mm guns

Store stations..9

Maximum take off weight - 38,500 lbs.

Fixed (removable) probe for in-flight refuelling - Buddy-Buddy capability

Maximum Mach number - Mach 2.2+

Approach speed - 140 Kts

Maximum climbing speed - 60,000 ft/min

Authorized minimum speed in flight - 0 Kt

Time to climb to 36,000 ft/Mach1.8 - 5 min

Operational ceiling - 55,000 ft

Loiter time at 150 N.M. from the base at Mach 0.8/25,000 ft*: 2hr 40 min

Range / combat at M 0.8/15,000 ft**: 830 N.M.

Turn Around Time (Refueling and 6 Air to Air reloading): 15 min
* 3 external tanks + 6 MICA.
** 6 Mica, external tanks dropped prior to combat.

Demonstrated availability in war time (Kosovo): 100%

Kargil war – Operation Vijay

Mirage 2000 proved its necessity and also our Indian air force engineers and pilots proved that when India needs them they will perform in all odd conditions.
IAF used the Mirage 2000 fighters in Kargil war.

Two squadrons, numbers 1 ‘Tigers’ and 7 ‘Battleaxes’, at Gwalior, operate the fleet.

When Kargil war started initially IAF used fighters such as MiG-21, 23 and 27

Then IAF decided to use Mirage 2000 as it can operate at high altitude with no problem, but it had no high altitude attack capability.

Dumb bombs were used to target the enemy and Mig 29 also supported the Mirage 2000 fighters in Kargil war.

Indian army and IAF both worked together and defeated Pakistan in Kargil war.

The commanding officer of 7 Squadron,
Wing Commander Sandeep Chhabra received the Yudh Sena Medal,
as did the commander of 1 Squadron, Wing Commander S. Neelakantan.
Wing Commander R. Nambiar received the Vayu Sena Medal,
as did fellow 7 Squadron pilots, Squadron Leaders M Rao, D.K Patnaik and Flt Lt Tokekar.
The technical officer of 1 Squadron, Squadron Leader K. Ravi, received the Vayu Sena Medal for his work in adapting bombs for use on the Mirage 2000.

Two pilots from 1 Squadron (Sqn Ldr S Jha & Wani) and one from 7 Squadron (Flt Lt M Yadav) received ‘Mentions in Despatches’.

Mirage 2000 flying at high altitudes and perfection of our IAF pilots became the key ingredients to win the Kargil war.
The code name for this war was Operation Vijay which resulted in Indian Vijay.
Vijay means win.

Watch the Mirage 2000 Video with close up



Below is the photo of Mirage 2000 fighter plane

Reality views by sm –
Tuesday, December 07, 2010