Here Is All About Mirage-2000, IAF's Key Fighter Which Has Been Kicking Pakistan For 20 Years
The Indian Air Force (IAF) entered Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK) and dropped a payload of 1000 kg laser-guided bombs to bring down a terror camp to the rubble and once again IAF trusted Mirage-2000, the old warlord IAF has been banking upon for the last 20 years.
Though IAF has new age and competent jets such as Sukkhoi Su-30MKI and MiG-29 apart from Tejas, but the Mirage-2000 that was chosen then in the Kargil War and now again after 20 years.
Here are all about this French fighter jet made by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) under the licence from Dassault Aviation- the France fighter jet maker which has been in controversy over Rafale deal.
First inducted in 1985
The Mirage-2000 was first commissioned in 1985 and soon after the induction, the IAF gave it name-Vajra, which meaning lightening thunderbolt in Sanskrit. The fighter jet first took flight in 1978 and was inducted in French Air Force in 1984.
India bought Mirage-2000 against Pak buying F-16
The IAF placed its initial order of 36 single-seater Mirage-2000 and 4 twin seater Mirage-2000 in 1982 against Pakistan’s buying of F-16 from the US.
Played Key role in Kargil
The Mirage-2000 played a key role on 1999 war of Kargil and seeing its capability, the government of India further ordered 10 Mirage-2000 planes in 2004 which took the total number Mirage-2000 in IAF ranks to 50.
Up-gradation started in 2011
In 2011, the IAF signed a contract to upgrade the Mirage-2000 fleet to Mirage 2000-5 Mk, which increased the life of the jets now the upgraded planes can be used till 2020. The Dassault has built over 580 Mirage-2000s over a period of 30 years.
Specifications
The Mirage-2000 is a single shaft engine plane which keep it lighter in comparison to other fighter jets in its segment. It’s engine is called SNECMA M53.
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The engine was first tested in 1970 and surprisingly it was not made for Mirage-2000 jets.
IN 1974, the Dassault first used M53-2 version of the engine in Mirage F1E testbeds and the most of the Mirage-2000 do run on the SNECMA M52-P2 version and is rated 65 kN (15,000lbf) in dry thrust and 95 kN or 21,000 lbf in afterburner.
Single seater, but can be twin-seater
The Mirage-2000 is designed as single-seater fighter pilot but can be made into a twin-seat jet depending on requirements.
Mirage-2000 is 14.36 metre long with a wingspan of 91.4 metre. The plane weighs 7500 kg in dry with a total takeoff weight 17000 kg. The jet has a maximum speed of Mach 2.2 which comes around 2336 kmph and with drop tanks, it can travel at a speed of 1550 kmph.
Apart from IAF, these countries have Mirage-2000
Apart from the IAF, the air forces of France, Egypt, UAE, Peru, Taiwan, Peru, Greece and Brazil have Mirage-2000 in their squadrons.