IAF looks to replace crashed Mirage fighter jets

[Abingdonboy]

The Indian Air Force (IAF) is looking to replace the two Mirage 2000 trainer aircraft, which crashed earlier this year.

While the case for the acquisition of the two single-engine trainers is still at a preliminary stage, it is understood that the IAF, ‘desirous’ of getting their ‘numbers up from 49 to 51′ again, is planning to make a pitch for the aircraft to the Ministry of Defense.

Sources told StratPost that the imperative for the purchase was made all the more compelling because the two aircraft that crashed were trainer versions. Until the crashes, the IAF had 10 trainer aircraft, spread over each of the three IAF Mirage 2000 squadrons. Now down to eight, these aircraft are essential for training fresh pilots on the aircraft type. With the shortfall caused by the two crashes, the IAF has decided to ask for the purchase of the two aircraft.

Since, the aircraft is no longer manufactured by the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM), Dassault, the IAF is planning to identify a foreign air force operating the aircraft, to which the sale can be proposed.

Although the aircraft is operated by nine foreign air forces, only the French Armée de l’Air, and the air forces of the United Arab Emirates, Greece and Taiwan operate them in any significant numbers.

The IAF has plans to operate its Mirage 2000 fleet over at least the next two decades. Last year, India ordered a USD 2.4 billion upgrade package from Dassault and Thales for its Mirage 2000 aircraft, to match the Mirage 2000-5 configuration, followed by a separate weapons package worth USD 1.23 billion for 450 MBDA MICA air-to-air missiles.

Keeping it French, the Dassault-built successor to the Mirage 2000, the Rafale, was selected earlier this year, as the lowest technically qualified bidder in the IAF contest for an estimated USD 20 billion order for 126 Medium Multi Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA), beating the Eurofighter Typhoon on price.

The other competitors, the Russian MiG-35, the Swedish Saab Gripen, and US aircraft, the Lockheed Martin F-16 and the Boeing F/A-18, were eliminated from the contest after the technical trials.

IAF looks to replace crashed Mirage fighter jets | StratPost

 

[Nishan_101]

IAF looks to replace crashed Mirage fighter jets | StratPost

Few months back I have been indicating that IAF might be looking into some used M-2000 but most of you were denying that. I think that they might look towards some FAF or other resources and might go for 20+ instead of two.

 

[Capt.Popeye]

Few months back I have been indicating that IAF might be looking into some used M-2000 but most of you were denying that. I think that they might look towards some FAF or other resources and might go for 20+ instead of two.

IAF has accepted your advice about the Mirages!

 

[kurup]

Few months back I have been indicating that IAF might be looking into some used M-2000 but most of you were denying that. I think that they might look towards some FAF or other resources and might go for 20+ instead of two.

You indicated that IAf will be buying second hand mirages in good no.s

But they only want to replace just 2 crashed trainer versions ........

 

[arp2041]

Oh c'mon what will happen with just 2?? go for some 30-40s M-2000s

 

[Yaduveer]

Crashed Mirage should be replaced with Rafale ..

 

[Jon Snow]

Buy from Greece. We'll get a decent price.

 

[arp2041]

Crashed Mirage should be replaced with Rafale ..

Or even better, every mig-21 crashed till now should be replaced by Rafale

 

[Windjammer]

Whatever became of UAEAF Mirage-2000s, once reported, India as the potential buyer. ??

 

[arp2041]

Can someone pls explain as to why IAF is in love with M-2000s, so much so that IAF even said yes to expensive upgrades of the aircrafts & now want the replacement for the crashed ones, this was never heard for other crashed a/c of IAF.

 

[rockstarIN]

Can someone pls explain as to why IAF is in love with M-2000s, so much so that IAF even said yes to expensive upgrades of the aircrafts & now want the replacement for the crashed ones, this was never heard for other crashed a/c of IAF.

They love this aircraft, have immense confidence on them. Even more than Su-30s for some experienced pilots.

 

[Matrixx]

By Rafale and only Rafale for any Mirage.....

 

[GR!FF!N]

Can someone pls explain as to why IAF is in love with M-2000s, so much so that IAF even said yes to expensive upgrades of the aircrafts & now want the replacement for the crashed ones, this was never heard for other crashed a/c of IAF.

M-2000-5-9 is a decent fighter,a good ground attack craft and we have it in decent numbers.plus,if needed,these jets can/will carry tactical nukes.now,we are retiring our mig-21s,mig-27s soon.it'll make a huge gap of total aircraft we need and what we have.so,if we don't modify and retire M-2000s as well,it'll make the condition worse.pluse we have experienced pilots/technicians who have experience on this platform.thats why they are upgrading it with superior avionics,missiles,sensors etc so that these jets will fill the number as well as our need.

 

[arp2041]

They love this aircraft, have immense confidence on them. Even more than Su-30s for some experienced pilots.

Can u pls elaborate a little??

 

[Nishan_101]

Oh c'mon what will happen with just 2?? go for some 30-40s M-2000s

They have many options from Muslim World as well:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qatar_Air_Force:12
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Egyptian_Air_Force:18
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Arab_Emirates_Air_Force:68

If not wrong than all of them are available for sale, I think Qatar wants to have a cheap fighter like JF-17 block-IIs or IIIs and even Egypt too and UAE want Rafael/EF-2000 or may be some more F-16s or even Chinese or Russian 5th or 4.5th Generation like J-10BS