I see it takes India almost as long to upgrade a fighter as making a decision on buying a new one. Talk about dragged out adventures nothing in the world takes longer then India’s government-military on making a decision on something. I’ve read about this Mirage upgrade for years and already though work started, I was wrong. I even remember reading how the Indians made a fuss about France raising their prices, could you blame them time doesn’t stay still. The key to this and I’ll quote it is that it could even take longer for it to really begin. This is the part I was talking about:
Indian-French Mirage Talks Gain Urgency
http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/gene...dline=Indian-French Mirage Talks Gain Urgency
So if it takes another two months to really make a decision it’s still going be further 40 months for the French to outfit a whopping (2) Mirage 2000-5s for this Indian venture. Could HAL possible be ready and prepare to take on this task while still building MKI Flankers in which they are behind? I think India is near the 68-74 MKI Flankers mark in built models but nowhere near are the planned 150 to 250 Flankers, 2014, 2015, 2016, the so called planned finished dates. All this for (51) aircraft which but the time this project gets done the aircraft will be only slightly improved as far as modern standards go. We are talking about a Mirage 2000-5 the aircraft France is replacing with the Rafale which by the way made its maiden flight on 4 July 1986. I would think having 50 or 60 more MKI Flankers would be more useful. India should have bought the Mirage 2000-5 in 2002, 2003, when it was offered. Useless India goes with the Rafale why bother what’s the sense it’s cheaper to drop the added cost of having a odd ball aircraft in your inventory.Once the order is given, within 40 months Thales has committed to retrofitting two aircraft of the first phase in the initial operational configuration, which includes French equipment. Another two will be retrofitted in Bangalore along with Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. (HAL). The remaining 47 will be assembled in India.
40 to 50 nautical miles doesn’t seem too impressive to me almost 1986 Vipers ranges but I may be wrong. Maybe it’s a reporting error and the range 80 to 90 miles I would think a modern French Mirage 2000-5 mk2 to see fighter size targets at slightly above 110 miles out? Another thing not mentioned in this article is the MICA which some forums have costing three times that of the longer range ARRAMS. Imagine going forward with this upgrade and not even getting the good missiles to take advantage of the radar.“The multitrack RDY-3 radar being equipped in the Mirage is the same generation the French air force is equipping on its M-2000D, with an increased range from 40 to 50 nautical miles compared with the existing Radar Doppler Multifunction system.”
Indian-French Mirage Talks Gain Urgency
http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/gene...dline=Indian-French Mirage Talks Gain Urgency