Here Is Why Indian Air Force Picked Mirage-2000 Fighter Jets For Surgical Strikes 2.0

At around 3:30 hours of Tuesday, 12 Indian Air Force Mirage-2000 fighter planes, fabricated by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) under permit from Dassault Aviation, the French organization who additionally produces the Rafale Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircrafts, entered Pakistani airspace and dropped 1,000-kg laser-guided bombs on Jaish-e-Mohammed launch pads across the Line of Control.

While India has some new-age fighter planes like the Sukhoi Su-30MKI and MiG 29, aside from the indigenously created Tejas LCA in its munititions stockpile, it was again the Mirage-2000 stream, which was utilized in the Kargil war, that was utilized for the exceptional cross-outskirt strike. There were more than 200 setbacks in the strike, which focused the greatest JeM refuge in Balakot in a counter-fear based oppression task.

If we compare other fighter jet the Russia made Sukhoi Su30MKI has a speed of 2120 kmph which India has is slower than Mirage-2000 and is heavier too. The light weight of Mirage-2000 is an advantage in quick operations.

Here’s everything you need to know about this India-made Dassault Mirage-2000 fighter jet.

History

The Mirage-2000 is without a doubt one of the Indian Air Force’s (IAF) most deadliest flying machine and it was first commissioned in 1985. Not long after subsequent to drafting the Mirage, IAF gave it the name – Vajra – which means lightening thunderbolt in Sanskrit. It was created by Dassault Aviation and took its first flight in 1978 and was enlisted in the French Air Force in 1984. India had initially ordered 36 single-seater Mirage-2000 and 4 twin-seater Mirage 2000 in 1982.

The Mirage-2000 played an important role in 1999 war of Kargil and turned it in India’s favour.

Seeing the accomplishment of the jets, the government placed an additional order of 10 Mirage-2000 planes in 2004, taking the total count to 50 jets. Later in 2011 a contract was signed to upgrade the existing Mirage-2000 jets to Mirage 2000-5 Mk. This has increased the life of jets which can now serve till 2030.

Specifications

1. Mirage-2000 is designed to seat a single fighter pilot, but can be made into a twin-seat jet depending on the requirement.

2. The weight if Mirage-2000 is 7500 kg (dry) and has a total takeoff weight of 17000 kg.

3. Mirage-2000 length is 14.36 metre and a wingspan of 91.3 metre.

4. Mirage-2000 has a maximum speed of 2336 kmph and can travel 1550 km with drop tanks.

5. It can fly at maximum height of 5,9000 ft (17km).

6. A single shaft engine which is light and simple as compared to other fighter jet engines is used in Mirage-2000, and is called SNECMA M53.

7. Mirage-2000 has a fly-by-wire flight control system and has a Sextant VE-130 HUD, which displays data related to flight control, navigation, target engagement, and weapon firing.

8. It can carry laser guided bombs, air-to-air and air-to-surface missiles and has a Thomson-CSF RDY (Radar Doppler Multi-target) radar on board.

9. It has all-weather night and day bombing capability.

Countries using Mirage-2000

Dassault has sold Mirage-2000 to 8 eight other countries which includes, Greece, Brazil, Peru, Taiwan, UAE, Egypt and their home country France. In 30 years of span a total of 583 Mirage-2000 fighter jets have been manufactured and its successor Rafael has already been ordered by the IAF.