Dassault Mirage 2000

Qatar

Qatar bought 12 Dassault Mirage 2000-5DAs (nine single seaters and three two seaters).

Four Qatari Mirage 2000 fighter jets joined NATO operation over the Libyan zone of operations in 2011. These fighters fly from Crete, operating with French Mirage 2000s.

Variants

Mirage 2000C

The first Mirage 2000 to go into service was the single-seat Mirage 2000C interceptor, C stands for Chasseur (Fighter) variant.

There were four single-seat prototypes, including the initial Mirage 2000 prototype.

The first production Mirage 2000C flew in November 1982.

Deliveries began in 1983.

The first operational squadron was formed in 1984, the 50th anniversary of the French Air Force. A total of 124 Mirage-2000Cs were obtained by the AdA.

The first 37 Mirage 2000Cs delivered were fitted with the Thomson-CSF RDM (Radar Doppler Multifunction) and were powered by the SNECMA M53-5 turbofan engine.

The 38th Mirage 2000C had an upgraded SNECMA M53-5 P2 turbofan engine.

The Radar Doppler Impulse (RDI) built by Thales for the Mirage 2000C entered service in 1987. It has a much improved range of about 150 km, and is linked to Matra Super 530D missiles, which are much improved compared to the older Super 530F. Look-down/shoot-down capabilities are much improved as well, but this radar is not usually used for air-to-surface roles. (Note that "look-down/shoot-down" often refers to being able to track and target another flying object at a lower altitude, rather than targeting an object on the surface itself.)

Upgrades includes the addition of the Non-Cooperative Target Recognition (NCTR) mode to the RDI Radar to allow identification of airborne targets not responding on IFF, integration for the Matra MICA IR heat-seeking missile, and the ability to carry air-to-ground stores such as Matra 68 mm rocket pods (18 each), Mk 80 series or French 250, 400, and 1000 kg iron bombs, and cluster bombs such as the Belouga or non-French models.

Some variants, especially those equipped with the RDM radar (mainly used in export models) have the capability to use the Exocet anti-ship missile. Also, Indian Mirage 2000s have been integrated to carry the Russian R-73AE Archer missile and the indigenous Indian built Astra missile.