Dassault Mirage 2000N/2000D
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| Dassault Mirage 2000N/D | |
|---|---|
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| Mirage 2000N at the Radom Air Show, Poland | |
| Type | Multirole fighter aircraft |
| Manufacturer | Dassault-Breguet |
| Maiden flight | 1986-03-03 |
| Primary user | French Air Force |
| Number built | 74 |
| Developed from | Mirage 2000 |
The Dassault Mirage 2000N is a variant of the Mirage 2000 designed for nuclear strike. It forms the core of the French land-based tactical nuclear deterrent. The Mirage 2000D is its conventional attack counterpart.
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[edit] History
The Mirage 2000N was designed to French requirements for an aircraft to replace the older Mirage IVP. Dassault received a contract to build two prototypes. The aircraft first flew on March 3, 1986. Seventy four were built up to 1993.
The Mirage 2000N is based on the Mirage 2000B two-seat trainer, but features considerable changes. The airframe was strengthened for low-level flight and fitted with an Antilope 5 radar, which is used for terrain following, navigation and ground mapping, and which can follow terrain at 691 mph (1,112 km/h). Other avionic features are twin INS's and moving map displays for both the pilot and weapon systems officer. Weapons-wise, the Mirage 2000N can carry one ASMP medium-range nuclear missile, and can also carry two MATRA Magic AAM's for self defence. Other protection features include the Sabre jamming system and the Spirale chaff system. Because the extra seat decreases range, a pair of drop tanks are carried.
The first batch of 30 aircraft for the French Air Force had a sole nuclear capability, and these were designated Mirage 2000N-K1. These did not have the Spirale chaff system, and carried a pair of AN.52 free-fall nuclear bombs before the ASMP was ready. The later batch of 44 aircraft were designated Mirage 2000N-K2. These had both a nuclear and conventional capability, and a full defensive fit. The K1 aircraft now have a limited conventional attack capability.
Dassault has also developed the Mirage 2000D, which is a development of the Mirage 2000N designed for long-range precision strikes with conventional weapons. This aircraft is exactly the same as the Mirage 2000N, but introduces support for conventional attack missiles such as the Apache and Scalp missiles, as well as the AASM weapons. The first aircraft, converted from the Mirage 2000N prototype, flew on the 19th February 1991, and the French Air Force ordered a total of 86 aircraft.
The Mirage 2000N is not licensed for export. The French Air Force has 60 in its inventory.
Like the Mirage 2000N, the Mirage 2000D had variants. The Mirage 2000D-R1 does not have the full weapons capability of the Mirage 2000D-R2, which features the Apache and Scalp missiles, the ATLIS II laser designation system, and the Samir self-protection fit.
[edit] Variants
[edit] Mirage 2000N
The Mirage 2000N is the nuclear strike variant which was intended to carry the Aerospatiale Air-Sol Moyenne Portee (ASMP) nuclear stand-off missile. Initial flight tests of two prototypes began on February 3, 1983, and the Mirage 2000N entered operational service in 1988. A total of 75 were built.
The fighter had strengthened wings for low-altitude operations, as well as low-level precision navigation/attack systems, built around the Dassault/Thales Antilope 5 radar, which was designed for the strike role and featured a terrain-avoidance capability.
The ASMP missile is 5.38 meters long with a kerosene-powered ramjet that allows it to cruise at Mach 3 to a maximum range of 100 km carrying a nuclear warhead with a yield of 300 kT.
Upgrades:
- The existing kit was enhanced to provide an electronic intelligence (ELINT) capability, allowing the aircraft to record data on adversary emitters for post-flight intelligence analysis.
- A SAT Samir "Detecteur de Depart Missile (DDM)" missile-warning system was also added, being attached to the back of the Magic AAM pylons.
- Future updgrades include the addition of a Pod Reco NG (Pod de Reconnaissance Nouvelle Generation) to provide digital reconnaissance capabilities, with both day and night imagers, a digital data recorder system, and a datalink to provide real-time relay of imagery to battlefield commanders. It is being developed by Thales for service introduction in 2006.
Aircraft with the updated countermeasures system and capable of carrying both the ASMP-A missile and the Pod Reco NG will be redesignated "Mirage 2000N-K3".
[edit] Mirage 2000D
The Mirage 2000D is a dedicated conventional attack variant developed from the Mirage 2000N. Initial flight of the Mirage 2000D prototype, a modified Mirage 2000N prototype, was on February 19, 1991. The first flight of a production aircraft occurred March 31, 1993, and service introduction followed in April 1995. A total of 86 were built.
Features:
- NVG-compatible cockpit with improved HOTAS (hands-on-throttle-and-stick) controls.
- Modernized navigation system with GPS capability.
- An updated ICMS 2 countermeasures system, with Serval RWR, Chameleon jammer, and Spirale dispensers.
Armaments Include:
- All major "dumb" munitions such as iron bombs, cluster bombs, rocket pods, and cannon pods.
- Laser-guided weapons such as the AS-30L missile or French/U.S. LGBs, with the munitions directed by an ATLIS II or improved optical-infrared PDLCT and high-resolution PDLCTS targeting pods.
- Armat anti-radar missile.
- Optional carriage and targeting of Exocet missile.
Upgrades:
The first upgraded Mirage 2000D-R2 machine was delivered in 2001. It has an enhanced countermeasures suite, which noticeably featurs twin 24-shot flare dispensers on each side of the spine at the front of the tailfin.
Further enhancements include carriage of the Apache and SCALP-EG cruise missiles, as well as carriage of the new low-cost AASM family of modular precision-guided bombs. The AdA would also like to add a Link-16 Multifunction Information Distribution System (MIDS) datalink and a SATURN (Second-generation Anti-Jam Tactical UHF Radio for NATO) encrypted radio.
[edit] Operators
[edit] Specifications (Mirage 2000N)
General characteristics
- Crew: 2
- Length: 14.55 m (47 ft 9 in)
- Wingspan: 9.13 m (29 ft 11 in)
- Height: 5.15 m (16 ft 11 in)
- Wing area: 41 m² (440 ft²)
- Empty weight: 7,600 kg (17,000 lb)
- Loaded weight: 10,680 kg (23,550 lb)
- Max takeoff weight: 17,000 kg (38,000 lb)
- Powerplant: 1× SNECMA M53-P2 afterburning turbofan, 95.1 kN (21,400 lbf)
Performance
- Maximum speed: 2,338 km/h (1,289 knots, 1,453 mph)
- Combat radius: 800 nm (1,480 km, 920 mi)
- Ferry range: 1,800 nm (3,340 km, 2,100 mi)
- Service ceiling: 18,000 m (59,000 ft)
- Rate of climb: 285 m/s (56,000 ft/min)
- Wing loading: 410 kg/m² (85 lb/ft²)
- Thrust/weight: 0.91
Armament
- Missiles:
- 1× ASMP medium-range nuclear missile
- 2× R550 Magic air-to-air missiles for self-defence
Avionics
- Twin inertial navigation system
- Antilope 5 terrain-following radar
[edit] External links
[edit] Related content
Related development
Designation sequence
50 - Mirage F1 - G - 2000/2000N/D - 4000
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