IAF to buy 140 Mirage aircraft

IAF to buy 140 Mirage aircraft, looks to HAL

K R SREENIVAS

TIMES NEWS NETWORK [ FRIDAY, JUNE 14, 2002 12:00:34 AM ]

BANGALORE: The Indian Air Force (IAF) has told the Defence Ministry it wants to procure 140 Mirage 2000 aircraft for its fleet, especially in the light of ongoing tension with Pakistan.

The Mirage fighter aircraft – known as Vajra in the IAF – is capable of carrying tactical nuclear payload and is said to be one of the most impressive aircraft in the IAF fleet.

The Mirage 2000 H, a single-seat, multi-role aircraft, was used successfully during the Kargil operations.

The IAF also has in its fleet the Mirage 2000 TH, which is a two-seat trainer aircraft. It has 60 Mirage 2000 aircraft in the combination of H and TH, acquired from Dassault Aviation, the French aerospace company.

Sources told The Times of India that the IAF has consulted Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) asking whether it was in a position to produce the 140 Mirages. The HAL has expressed its readiness to take up the project.

If the MoU between the IAF and the HAL is inked, the latter proposes to manufacture the 140 Mirage 2000 aircraft under licence from Dassault. “Hectic discussions are on to finalise the proposal at the highest levels,” sources said.

IAF has informed the Defence Ministry that it would not like to wait until LCAs are produced. “There is an urgent need for the Mirage 2000 H and TH aircraft.”

At present, the Bangalore complex of the HAL does the overhauling work on the existing fleet of the Mirage aircraft.

Already, there is a Cabinet approval to buy 10 Mirage aircraft for the IAF (four single-seat and six double-seat aircraft) as replenishment for the fleet.

The IAF has two operational squadrons of the Mirage 2000 – No. 1 Tiger and No. 7 Battle Axes. It is fitted with the new electronic warfare and attack systems, upgraded by the IAF.

The Mirage 2000 H fighter aircraft, which has a maximum range of 3,333 km if fitted with 3000L drop tanks, carries air-to-surface missiles such as the AS-30s and the Matra ARMAT, apart from laser-guided bombs. It flies at a maximum speed of Mach 2.2 plus.