IAF Mirage 2000

Mirage-2000 fill air superiority, recce, strike and nuclear strike roles. Jaguar handles strike, CAS and DPS roles.
The overall upgrade programme of the Mirage-2000s is pegged at Rs 17,547 crore, with the first two fighters
being upgraded in France and the rest (49) by Hindustan Aeronautics (HAL) under transfer of technology (ToT).
If this figure is taken into account, then each Mirage upgrade will cost Rs 344 crore.
India has inked two separate contracts in the upgrade programme, which kicked off last year with the help of
French companies Dassault Aviation (aircraft manufacturer) and Thales (weapons systems integrator).
However, both MoD and IAF - down to just 34 fighter squadrons when over 44 are required to deter both
Pakistan and China - maintain the upgrade will ensure the multi-role Mirages become "virtually new fighters"
that will "remain current and potent" for over two decades more.
In 1999, the Mirage had a conventional cockpit with just one large monochrome multi-function display with
several basic flight gauges. This was typical of many fighters of the 80s vintage. Now, however, the Mirage
2000 features a state-of-the-art glass cockpit with multi-colour, multi-function displays replacing bulky
analogue gauges
The pilot, now equipped with a display inside their helmet, is able to see superimposed radar data without
having to reference any of the displays inside the cockpit. In operational terms, this means that in the case of
air combat, the pilot, who is looking through their helmet, can direct weapons by merely pointing their head in
the direction of what needs to be hit as opposed to having to maneuver the entire jet in the direction of the
target – see target, lock on to target, launch weapons
A key component of the Mirage 2000 I is a host of new weapons, not least of which is the MICA air-to-air
missile, a state-of-the-art missile which is capable of engaging targets beyond visual ranges and also at close
ranges – one missile for two jobs.
The upgraded M2000s have DRFM jamming capability that can spoof an AMRAAM
cost of spare parts etc for Mirage 2000 is highest among other aircraft in IAF inventory.
IAF Mirage 2000