Government Okays $2.4 bn Mirage 2000 Upgrade
(Source: Deccan Herald; published July 13, 2011)
The $2.4 billion upgrade will very significantly improve the capabilities of India’s Mirage 2000H fighters, which will notably be able to fire MBDA’s MICA missiles. (French AF photo) NEW DELHI --- The government on Wednesday cleared a $2.4 billion deal with France for upgrading India's Mirage-2000 combat planes, informed sources said. The deal was cleared at a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, the sources said.
The move comes even as India's defence ministry and the Indian Air Force top brass is split over the high cost of upgrading the IAF's 52 Mirage-2000 aircraft and the likely benefits to the country's future air power needs.
Taking into account $1 billion for new weapons and another $500 million for new facilities at Bangalore-based Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) for the upgrade, the cost could rise to close to $4 billion, defence ministry officials said.
The cost of the upgrade may work out to $7.9 million per aircraft, which, the opponents of the deal contend, is the same as that of a new fighter jets that India is buying under the $10.4 billion medium multi-role combat aircraft (MMRCA) tender.
Those supporting the deal argue that once upgraded, the aircraft will be as potent as a new combat plane.
Among the upgrades planned for Mirage-2000 are a night vision goggle-compatible glass cockpit, advanced navigational systems, advanced Identification Friend or Foe (IFF) system, advanced multi-mode multi-layered radar, fully integrated electronic warfare suite and advanced beyond visual range (BVR) capability.
The new weapons include 450 MICA interception and aerial combat missiles. French firms Thales and MBDA will be the weapons systems integrator and missiles supplier respectively.
Two of the planes will be upgraded in France by manufacturer Dassault Aviation, two in India with French help and the remaining 48 entirely by HAL. The upgrade of the entire fleet will take nine years.
The IAF inducted the Mirage-2000 between 1982 and 1986. (ends)
Government Clears Mirage-2000 Upgrade
(Source: Economic Times; published July 13, 2011)
NEW DELHI --- The government cleared the $2.4-billion Mirage-2000 upgrade proposal on Wednesday, after the Cabinet Committee on Security, chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, gave its assent to a deal that had been stuck largely due to differences over costs and the proposed benefits to the Indian Air Force.
IAF spokesperson, Wing Commander Tarun Kumar Singha told The Economic Times that New Delhi had agreed to the proposal put forward by French defence majors Dassault, Thales and MBDA for the Mirage-2000 retrofit.
The upgrade is expected to include advanced navigational systems, Identification Friend or Foe system, multi-mode multi-layered radar, fully integrated electronic warfare suite and advanced beyond visual range (BVR) capabilities, among others.
South Block had been haggling with Dassault, Thales and MBDA over the cost of retro-fitting the IAF's 51-strong fleet, over the last three years. The deal was expected to be cleared during French President Nicolas Sarkozy's state visit to New Delhi late last year, but no announcements were made.
Opinion has been sharply divided over the actual benefits of such an upgrade, as it is expected to cost the government almost the same as what it will be spending on the 126 Medium, Multi-Role Combat Aircrafts for the IAF, a deal expected to close by the end-201.
However, the IAF has for long, argued that the upgrade would transform the aircraft into top-notch combat fighters, pointing to its successful combat record.
The Mirage-2000, which was deemed to be the best combat aircraft in high-altitude conditions, was used to great effect by the IAF for precision strikes during the Kargil conflict, and helped liberate the heavily-defended Tiger Hill.
The upgrade of the entire fleet is expected to take about nine years, and will see two of the Mirages being retro-fitted in France, with state-owned defence undertaking Hindustan Aeronautics being appointed to do the same for the rest 49 aircrafts.
The signing of the contract will provide an additional boost to Dassault Aviation, which is also one of the front-runners for the $11-billion MMRCA, which has now entered its penultimate phase.
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