What had been designed in the late 1970s as an air-to-air fighter and subsequently transformed into an air-to-ground attack aircraft will survive in that variant until 2030 in the French forces.
The Mirage 2000D, an evolution of the Mirage 2000, is to be upgraded with an improved weapon system and better connectivity. What triggered the decision was the revised
procurement plan—the next Rafale handover to the
will not happen until 2020, an outcome of the 2014-19 defense budget, which calls for a reduced delivery rate.
In 2013, then-Defense Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian made a huge bet that
export sales would offset the cut. Le Drian’s diplomatic efforts paid off, with three export contracts signed in 2015 and 2016. To maintain its capability, the French Air Force managed to obtain a concession in return.
New Capabilities for the Upgraded Mirage 2000D
Gun pod
New firing-control system
Infrared MICA missiles for self-protection
The government determined the midlife update (MLU) will apply to all 55 Mirage 2000Ds in service. On the one hand, the undisclosed investment will be entirely borne by the French taxpayer, as the MLU will not be offered to export customers. On the other hand, the Mirage is less expensive to operate than the Rafale.
Most conspicuous on the upgraded aircraft will be a gun pod. It will meet a long-expressed need of crews. A gun is suitable for ground targets in asymmetric conflicts, for instance. The Mirage 2000D is being currently used by the French Air Force in Africa’s Sahel region for Operation Barkhane, fighting terrorists who mostly use light weapons.
The Mirage 2000D will reuse gun pods from retired Mirage F1s. A gun pod is considered less precise than a built-in gun. However, that solution would have been complex to retrofit, French procurement agency DGA says. Moreover, the gun pod will be exchangeable with a Damocles laser targeting pod. The cockpit will feature a new firing-control system with dynamic symbology on the head-up display.
Overall, firing will be more straightforward. The current Mirage 2000D has an integrated firing-control system. The weapon system officer cannot fire until the “navigation-and-attack system” authorizes him to, which can be too long a process, says a DGA engineer. On the upgraded variant, each weapon will have its own firing-control system.
The existing navigation-and-attack system will be complemented by two computers, one for each crew member. “The air force will develop applications—for maps, for example,” the engineer says. The weapon system officer will benefit from a larger, touch-screen display.
DGA promises the 2000D will be “fully interoperable with allied armed forces,” as it will be brought up to the latest tactical data link standard.
For self-protection, infrared MICA missiles will replace the current Magic 2s. The aircraft will also become capable of carrying a combination of different bombs, whereas the current configuration has to be homogeneous.
In addition to the already agreed upgrade, the defense ministry is considering integrating
’s Talios laser targeting pod in lieu of the Damocles. Currently being developed for the Rafale, the Talios also has intelligence-gathering and network-centric warfare capacities.
Moreover, DGA and Dassault are mulling extending the airframe’s potential beyond the current 6,700 hr., which is already an increase over the initial 5,000 hr.
Two aircraft are currently being refurbished—one from DGA and one from the air force—at Dassault’s production facility in Bordeaux. Dassault will use both for development. The airframer, which is the prime contractor along with missile supplier MBDA, will then supply retrofit kits. French Air Force maintenance technicians will implement them at their Clermont-Ferrand workshop.
Flight testing is planned in 2018-20 from Cazaux and Istres air bases, delivering the first eight upgraded Mirage 2000Ds in 2020. The rejuvenated fleet is hoped to last until at least 2030.
However, no plan for export is in the works. Mirage 2000s belonging to the 2000D’s generation and in service with foreign forces such as Taiwan have too-different specifications and computers.
All other versions of the Mirage 2000 are likely to retire earlier than the 2000D. The Mirage 2000N, a variant close to the 2000D but designed for nuclear strike, will retire in 2018.
The Mirage 2000D, which entered service in 1993, will coexist in the French air force with the Rafale’s advanced standard. The F3-R standard, which is to include the Talios, the air-to-air Meteor missile and a new refueling pod, is scheduled to reach initial operational capability next year. Details are scarce on the F4 standard, which will have improved networkcentric warfare capability and sensors. Evolutions in missiles and engines are planned, too. In 2023, an initial version of the F4 standard will precede the full F4 version, slated for 2025.
