Amid stalled fighter projects, upgraded Mirage-2000 cheers IAF

NEW DELHI: Faced with huge delays in clinching new fighter projects even as it grapples with fast-eroding air combat power, the Indian Air Force ( IAF) finally has some reason to cheer. The force will get its first two upgraded Mirage-2000 fighters with new avionics and weapons this week.

The defence ministry says France will hand over the two “almost new“ Mirage fighters to the project management teams of the IAF and Hindustan Aeronautics (HAL) on March 25. “The next two jets will be upgraded by HAL in India with French assistance,“ said an official.

The remaining 47 Mirages, first inducted by India in the mid-1980s, will then be progressively souped up by HAL with technology transfer from France under the overall Rs 17,547 crore programme finalized in 2011-2012.

“The upgraded Mirages have been virtually re-built with state-of-the-art avionics, radars, mission computers, glass cockpits, helmet-mounted displays,electronic warfare suites and long-range missiles. The IAF will be able to operate them for another 15-20 years,“ the official said.

India has gone in for a mix of upgrades and inductions like Sukhoi-30MKIs to maintain its operational readiness against China and Pakistan. But it continues to take a big hit with the delay in new projects, even as the obsolete MiG fleets are retired.