The Mirage 2000 is a multirole fighter aircraft that is manufactured by the French company Dassault Aviation. The Mirage 2000H is a variant of the aircraft that is used by the IAF. The Mirage 2000-5 is the version operated by the IAF, soon to be upgraded into The Mirage 2000-5 Mk 2

India’s Air Force currently operates 51 Mirage aircraft, which include ten two seater Mirage 2000TH training aircraft and 41 single seater Mirage 2000H aircraft.

The first batch of 30 aircraft, which included four two seat Mirage 2000THs, was delivered to the IAF in 1985. Most of these first Mirages, which were Mirage 2000H5s and 2000TH5 training aircraft, had M53-5 engines, rather than the newer engines which would be placed in the later aircraft. However, the IAF wanted to take delivery of its Mirage aircraft as soon as possible, rather than to wait for the newer engines to become available. Ten of these first batch of aircrafts were single seater Mirage 2000H aircrafts with the newer M53-P2 engines were delivered to the IAF, and the earlier aircraft were re-engineered with the newer engines, becoming Mirage 2000Hs and 2000THs. A second batch of six Mirage 2000Hs and three 2000THs were delivered in 1987 and 1988.

The IAF bought another ten Mirage 2000H aircraft in 2004, which would feature upgraded avionics systems, including an improved radar system, the RDM-7.

The IAF considered ordering an additional 126 Mirage aircraft, but its manufacturer, Dassault decided to offer the Rafale for consideration instead since it was to end production of the Mirage 2000-5.

From the year 2007, the IAF began a program of upgrades for its Mirage aircraft, in order to equip the Mirage 2000s with a new missile, the MBDA AIM-132 ASRAAM. In order for the aircraft to be made ready for these missiles, they required improved radar systems, upgraded cockpits, new data buses, improved electronic warfare equipment, and new helmet mounted sights on them were also needed for the pilots. These new Mirage aircraft were created through collaboration between Dassault, MBDA and Thales. All 51 Mirage aircraft in the IAF were to be upgraded at a cost of 1.9 billion dollars.

The discussion on the deal between India and France continued in 2010 for the upgrade of all the Mirage 2000H aircraft to Mirage 2000-5 Mk 2 aircraft. This upgrade would turn the older Mirage aircraft into next generation fighters, with new and improved radar, missiles, electronic warfare systems and weapons suites. These upgrades are expected to cost between 2.1 and 2.2 billion Euros, with approximately 700 to 900 million Euros of the cost being for the purchase of MBDA MICA air to air missiles. It is expected that the first four to six aircraft will be upgraded in France, with the rest of the aircraft being upgraded by Hindustan Aeronautics in India.

The upgrades will be extensive, with the aircraft being stripped down, rewired, and equipped with new systems including mission computers, avionics, electronic warfare suites, weapons systems, glass cockpits and helmet mounted displays. The upgrades to the aircraft should extend their service lives by approximately two decades.

DESIGN

The Mirage is similar in appearance to the Rafale, which is produced by the same manufacturer. The Mirage aircraft have slightly smaller wingspans, but they are slightly longer. The weight of the Mirage is minimized by the use of honeycomb panels, light alloys and carbon fiber.

The delta wings are low set, with 58 degree leading edges and moderately blended roots. Two canard wings are fixed behind the air intakes. The wings have four elevons, four airbrakes (two above and two below the wing) and four slats. The tall tailfin helps ensure that the pilot remains in control at high angles of attack.

The Mirage aircraft has a cockpit fitted with Martin-Baker zero-zero F10Q ejection seats, which enable the crew to eject at any altitude or speed. Five multifunction cathode ray Advanced Pilot Systems Interface displays and Thomson-CSF VEH 3020 Head Up Displays are used in the cockpit. Two colored lateral displays present systems management and sensor information. The head up-head level display presents data about navigation, flight control, weapons firing and target engagement. Tactical information is derived from advanced processors and presented on the tactical display.

The pilot uses a hands on HOTAS stick and throttle control that includes all of the controls that are required for combat. The aircraft have SFENA 608 autopilot systems and redundant fly by wire controls, which provide easy handling and agility. The airframe of the Mirage aircraft has a natural tendency for instability since the center of lift is located ahead of the center of gravity. This helps increase maneuverability. The FBW helps to provide stability. Mirage aircraft can exceed 270 deg/sec roll rates and reach 11g in override mode.

The M53-P2 engines produce 64kN of thrust and 98kN, with afterburn. The efficiency of the air input is maximized by the half-cone shape, adjustable centerbody of the engine.

Mirage aircraft have a fuel capacity of 4000 liters, with tanks in the fuselage and wings. Additional fuel tanks can be used externally to increase the total capacity to 9000 liters. Aerial refueling is also possible, using the detachable probes.

Runway arresting hooks or brake parachute fairings can be fixed under the tail if the Mirage aircraft, while a parachute brake is fitted to the tail. Landing roll is reduced by the robust carbon brakes. The nose gear has dual wheels and is backward-retracting. The main gear has single wheels and retracts into the wings.

The Mirage aircraft use a multi-mode Thomson-CSF RDY radar system which provides multi-target capability for up to 24 targets and has a look down or shoot down mode.

Mirage 2000 aircraft feature the WDNS system for weapons delivery and navigation, which ensures that they have the capacity for the integration of new weapons systems and sensors in the future. The ability to fire laser weapons during both the daytime and the nighttime can be provided by fitting the Thomson-CSF TV/CT CLDP Optronique laser designation pod, while Damocles thermal imaging pods can be fitted to the Mirage 2000-5 Mk2 aircraft.

The Mirage 2000 aircraft offer nine hardpoints for weapons, including two on each wing and five on the main fuselage. The single seat aircraft also have two 30 mm guns mounted internally.

The air to air weapons on the Mirage aircraft include the multi target combat and intercept MICA missiles and Magic 2 missiles for combat. Both of these missiles are manufactured by the French Matra BAe Dynamics company. It is possible for a single Mirage aircraft to carry 2 Magic missiles, 3 drop tanks and 4 MICA missiles, all at the same time. The Mirage 2000-5 has the additional capability of firing Super 530D missiles, which are produced by the same company, as well as the Sky Flash missiles made by the UK branch of Matra BAe Dynamics, rather than using MICS missiles.

Mirage aircraft can also carry Matra BAe rocket launchers, Apache standoff weapons, BGL laser guided bombs and Armat anti-radar missiles, Aerospatiale Exocet anti-ship missiles and AS30Ls, and SCALP cruise missiles.

Mirage aircraft have inbuilt self-protection suites, so there is no need for an additional pod to be fitted. The Thomson-CSF Detexis ICMS Mark 2 countermeasures system is fitted in the Mirage 2000-5 aircraft. This system includes a nose section receiver and system for signal processing to detect hostile missile command data links.

The Mirage 2000-5 Mk2 is the most upgraded version of the Mirage aircraft. It features a datalink to target MICA ER missiles, Damocles FLIR targeting pods, Thales RDY-2 all weather radar systems, Thales Totem 3000 navigation systems, ICMS 3 countermeasures systems, on-board oxygen generation equipment and updated avionics. Further updates to the Mirage aircraft are expected in the future, including the addition of Thales AIDA pods for visual identification, GPS receivers, MIDS datalinks, long range sensors and Topsight E helmet displays.