Paf and mirage 2000

PAF and Mirage 2000.
by H Khan

It is a well known fact that PAF is lacking a true fourth-generation multi-role fighter aircraft in its inventory. It is also a known fact that PAF has not introduced a new fighter aircraft since the advent of F-7 in 1989. The lack or I would say the absence of a fourth-generation fighter aircraft has taken its toll on the moral and operational capability of PAF personal, nonetheless, it has shaken people of Pakistan’s confidence in The Pride Of The Nation i.e. PAF.

I am not going to discuss why PAF was failed to achieve this level of acquiring the much needed fourth-generation fighter but I would discuss the options that PAF has and what they have been striving for.

In all fairness PAF has chalked out a very ambitious plan for the next seven years to attain a level to introduce a new weapon and support systems in its operations. This includes Super-7, Mirage-2000-05, EMB-145 AEW, AN-70, AN-72/74, CN-235, and a new multi-purpose helicopter in conjunction with Pakistan Army Aviation.

As the current Pakistani administration moves towards establishing of peoples representation as modes operand of the country there will be a lot of advantages it will gain internationally. This new step of governing would change the equation for all the branches of the armed forces of Pakistan in relation for their buying power without any objection from the western countries. As we all aware of the statements made by the CONS and ACM concerning the “go-slow” attitude of these western countries towards Pakistan’s acquiring new weapon systems.

In general, Dassault Aviation with the blessing of French Foreign Ministry, has agreed to sell Pakistan close to 48 Mirage 2000-05+. The reason I put *+* in front of 05 is that PAF wants certain avionics to be installed to meet its own requirement, therefore, making this version of Mirage 2000 as Pakistan friendly.

In all actuality there were few factors which have lead PAF towards Mirage 2000. I will discuss each separately.

1- Since the introduction of 33 Mirage 2000EAD/RAD/DAD, which are Standard Abu Dhabi (SAD)-8, into United Arab Emirate Air force, PAF personal on deputation to UAEAF have been maintaining and operating these aircrafts. According to one source, the number of UAE nationals certified to fly Mirage 2000 is a mare eleven (11) pilots. Rests there are pilots and maintenance crews from Pakistan, Egypt and Morocco, the Pakistanis making the larger portion of personals. On November 18, 1998, UAE signed a contract for a total of 63 Mirage 2000-9 fighters. The total value of the overall program is reported to be around $4.1 billion which includes 30 new Mirage 2000-09 and the current 33 Mirage 2000-SAD-8 will be upgraded to dash 09. The contract includes a lot of very sophisticated armaments and avionics. In June of 2000 French Air force conducted an exercise called ‘Odax 2000’, in it they used their newly –converted Mirage 2000-5F and interestingly they invited five Mirage 2000EADs of the UAEAF for this exercise. The reason in having these UAEAF Mirage 2000 was to check the comparable similar aircrafts with equally qualified pilots as a potential adversary. All these Mirage 2000 of UAE were operated by Pakistani pilots. PAF conducts regular exercises with UAE Mirage 2000 over the Arabia Sea and UAE usually use Somyani firing range.
2- France has been the most reliable western military hardware supplier of Pakistan. Since Pakistan has a very well established Mirage overhaul factory which according to some experts is a mirror image of Dassault Aviation factory where Mirage 2000 and F-1 are overhauled. PAF like to have these future Mirage 2000 to be at least assembled at PAC. One of the objective would be achieved is to bring down the price per unit of aircraft. There are between 18 & 22 French AF Mirage 2000C (for Chasse) single-seater and Mirage 2000B (for Biplace) two-seater which they don’t intent to upgrade to Dash 5F variant. These are the same Mirage 2000 that Dassault tried to sell PAF at $85 million a piece. To save more money PAF is offered these aircrafts at a low price and than PAF can upgrade these aircraft to its specification at PAC. Obviously PAF has to buy new aircrafts which it likes to be assembled at PAC. So far, there has been no talk of transfer of technology because PAC/PAF would not have any potential to sell to another country, further, Pakistan’s best bet would have been UAE but they already have 60+ Mirage 2000 in the pipeline. The running price per unit all depends on the French because they are notorious in attaching superfluous package to any deal, therefore, hiking up the prices per unit very high. Recent sales of Mirage 2000 to Greece and UAE are a testimony to this type of French behavior.
3- Now the question is why Mirage 2000? This question is two edged question:

a) Is a Mirage 2000 a technological white elephant?
b) Why PAF is going for Mirage 2000?

As we all know that the first flight of Mirage 2000 occurred in summer of 1978 ( F-15 first flight was in 1972, F-16 in 1973, Su-27 in 1981, Rafale 1986). With the prefix of 2000 it meant this aircraft would be able to conducive to the fighter aircraft environment of year 2000+. Dassault called the early versions of original Mirage 2000C or 2000 RDM – 20 years ago – ‘Mirage 1990’, now Dassault says it would be reasonable to say that today’s Mirage 200-5 effectively is the ‘proper’ 2000, and that the latest Mirage 2000-5 Mk II could be regarded as the ‘Mirage 2010’. With advance PGM capability for night precision strike operation through integration of the Thomson-CSF Optronics Damocles target designation pod, FLIR, MDPU (the same as Rafale), MTOW increased from 36,375 lbs to 38, 580 lbs, multi-waveform RDY-7 radar, DTS, GATR, IRST, air-to-air refueling pod, able to launch a AM-39 Exocet while pulling 4.5g’s, MICA AAM, Scalp-EG ASM, and upgraded SNECMA M-53-P20 engine it is the only 4th generation fighter with a foot in the 5th generation. According to some estimates it is far superior to F-16 C/D Block 50 and F/A-18 C/D which are being offered by the USA.

Ironic aspect of the Mirage 2000-05+ is that it is a completely different aircraft than what Bharati AF Mirage 2000H. It is a difference between a F-16 Block 15 and F-16 Block 50+.

Why would PAF want this aircraft: above points should suffice the argument. One of contention would why buy Mirage 2000 in place buy Rafale? After having lengthy discussions with few PAF personals they all were of the opinion that Rafale would become operational with the French AF in 2007, which what the French AF wants and historically speaking it a brand new equipment never makes on schedule as per requirement of the air force. Once the new system is operational than it takes another two-three years to filter out all the bugs which accompany the new systems because there is always a big difference between a manufacturers maintaining the aircrafts than an Air Force.

The biggest factor in PAF decision in buying Mirage 2000-05 is UAE and Qatar. Since our pilots and ground crew have been operating Mirage 2000 for the past 10 years plus PAF should have a very easy induction of Mirage 2000 in its operations. In the time of need we can always rely on extra piece of machinery and spare parts from these two brotherly countries.

On the other hand, the deliveries of Mirage 2000 will be spanned around three to four years. There is also a hope to buy few extra used F-16 after the sanctions and embargos are lifted but again PAF has decided not to make the F-16 as their backbone fighter.