Amid Stalled Fighter Projects, Upgraded Mirage Cheers IAF

[migflug]

Amid stalled fighter projects, upgraded Mirage cheers IAF

Upgraded Mirage 2000 of IAF ​

NEW DELHI: Faced with huge delays in clinching new fighter projects even as it grapples with fast-eroding air combat power, IAF finally has some reason to cheer. The force will get its first two upgraded Mirage-2000 fighters with new avionics and weapons this week.

The defence ministry says France will hand over the two "almost new" Mirage fighters to the project management teams of IAF and Hindustan Aeronautics (HAL) on March 25. "Our teams are in Istres to take the delivery. The next two jets will be upgraded by HAL in India with French assistance," said an official.

The remaining 47 Mirages, which were first inducted by India in the mid-1980s, will then be progressively souped up by HAL with technology transfer from France under the overall Rs 17,547 crore programme finalized in 2011-2012.

"The upgraded Mirages have been stripped down and virtually re-built with state-of-the-art avionics, radars, mission computers, glass cockpits, helmet-mounted displays, electronic warfare suites and long-range missiles. IAF will be able to operate them for another 15-20 years," the official added.

India has gone in for a mix of upgrades and inductions like Sukhoi-30MKIs - IAF has till now inducted 200 of the 272 Russian fighters contracted for over $12 billion -- to maintain its operational readiness against China and Pakistan.

But it continues to take a big hit with the delay in new fighter projects, even as the obsolete MiG fleets are being progressively retired. As reported earlier by TOI, both the $20 billion MMRCA (medium multi-role combat aircraft) project for 126 French Rafale fighters and the $25 billion one for 127 Russian FGFA (fifth-generation fighter aircraft) are still nowhere near being clinched.

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"The indigenous Tejas light combat aircraft project is also running years behind schedule. Numbers do eventually matter. IAF should ideally have 44 fighter squadrons, instead of the 34 it is currently has," said an officer.

The Mirage upgrade project, under which India has inked two separate contracts, itself has faced flak for being so expensive. The first upgrade programme was finalized at Rs 10,947 crore with French companies Dassault Aviation (aircraft manufacturer) and Thales (weapons systems integrator) in July 2011.

The second Rs 6,600 crore contract for 490 advanced fire-and-forget MICA (interception and aerial combat missiles) systems to arm the Mirages was finalized with French armament major MBDA in early-2012.

In effect, each upgraded Mirage will cost Rs 345 crore. This when the last batch of Mirages bought by India in 2000 cost Rs 133 crore apiece. Moreover, it will take HAL almost a decade to upgrade all the fighters.​

Source:- Amid stalled fighter projects, upgraded Mirage cheers IAF - The Times of India

345 cr for each upgrade. Tejas cost is 16o to 200 each plane.

 

[HariPrasad]

If it is installed with the spectra like EW suite, It can really be an A** kicker for sure. Mirage as a platform is very potent. Now it is equipped with best in class EW suite. This is really a deadly combo.

 

[SpArK]

First pair of upgraded Indian Air Force Mirage 2000H to be delivered on Wednesday

 

[wiseone2]

@Abingdonboy @sancho @levina etc. etc.

With these pictures of the photographer and "spotter" Vincent Massé, we learn that the first upgraded Mirage 2000H of the Indian Air Force took off from BA 106 of Bordeaux, a sign that the update is complete.

Meanwhile hypothetical 126 Rafale, the Indian fighter can still count on its Mirage 2000! 51 aircraft, 46 Mirage EH (cars) and 13 TH (two-seater), dating from the 80s and whose modernization is engaged. Dassault Aviation, Thales and MBDA, indeed having won this contract by almost 3 billion euros in 2011 (2.72 exactly 1 Thales to Dassault 400 million euros and 959 million to MBDA missile) after 10 years of negotiations.

These Mirage are being currently provide a new avionics, electronic warfare equipment and a more powerful radar. The upgrade also provides armament and local infrastructure.

If 50 are yet to go through the workshops of Bordeaux / Merignac, one, nicknamed it the "KF107" as its number, has something to dream of a second youth ...

Pax Aquitania: Le premier Mirage 2000 indien modernisé décolle de Bordeaux

More pics :

It is an expensive upgrade for 50 aircraft

 

[Corsair]

On the 2000-9EAD versus 2000I comparison, one of the great difference lies in the countermeasures avionics. The Emiratis have the IMEWS, while the 2000I have the newer ICMS (version 3 or 4 probably). Countermeasures probably include the SPIRALE system, with 112 EM chaffs cartridges and 16 IR/EO flares cartridges, as well as a high band and low band detector-jammer.

The both are very comparable tho, they are pretty close to the SPECTRA suite in term of capabilities, with extremely precise angular resolution as well as ranging capabilities. They can act as true ELINT systems.

 

[sancho]

i just wonder now both this upgraded indian one and uae 2000-9 have the same specs except the new better radar for the indian one so how now the uae one is more advanced

One of he key differences of the M2K-9 and the base upgrades of Dassault was, that the UAE added custom Italian EW systems, which made it more capable. IAF traditionally has a similar focus on good EW, the question is only, if they have chosen the same systems, or if they added Israeli / Indian systems too.
Apart of the radar, the Litening G4 will add clear advantages compared to the Damocles pod too, not to mention that the SPICE PGM kits re crucial additions. The latter however is equalled by the UAE, with the recent addition of Al Tariq PGM kits.

 

[Corsair]

One of he key differences of the M2K-9 and the base upgrades of Dassault was, that the UAE added custom Italian EW systems, which made it more capable.

To be precise, it's the ELT-558 jammer.