Mirage Sunset: End of an Era for India's Aging Fighter

The IAF utilizes a range of fighter aircraft from different countries, including MiG-21s and MiG-29s from the Soviet era, Mirage 2000 and Rafale from France, Jaguar from Anglo-French origins, and Sukhoi-30s from Russia.The IAF encounters difficulties in maintaining and repairing its fleet of fighter aircraft due to the diverse array of models in use. This is particularly challenging for aircraft that have been directly purchased from the original equipment manufacturer.The primary issue contributing to this challenge is the shortage of necessary spare parts and components to ensure the aircraft remain in operational condition.

From 1982 to 1985, India acquired 51 Mirage 2000 aircraft in ready-to-fly condition from the French company Dassault Aviation. Unlike Soviet-origin aircraft, India did not domestically manufacture Mirage aircraft under license. Despite this, India made two attempts to purchase a significant number of Mirage aircraft.

In the initial effort in the 1980s, India planned to acquire approximately 150 Mirage aircraft, with 40 purchased ready-to-fly and 110 to be produced under license by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) with full technology transfer. However, India faced pressure from the Soviets to opt for their newly developed MiG 29 aircraft instead.

Following the Kargil War in 1999, India made a second effort to buy more Mirage aircraft from France. However, the production of these aircraft was halted as Dassault Aviation, the manufacturer, prioritized the development and production of the Rafale aircraft. This marked the second instance where India missed the chance to acquire more Mirage aircraft that could have been manufactured under license in India.

Over its 40-year tenure in the IAF, the Mirage 2000 has served as the primary fighter aircraft for the air force. It played a crucial role in the 1999 India-Pakistan Kargil War and was also selected for Operation Bandar in response to the 2019 Pulwama terror attack, where Mirage aircraft were deployed to strike targets within Pakistan.Furthermore, the aircraft has been involved in India’s nuclear triad, which enables the launching of nuclear weapons from sea, land, and air. As a result, the aircraft is a dependable, effective, and formidable asset in the IAF’s weaponry.

In February 2024, Greek media outlets mentioned that the Greek government had made a decision to sell its retired Mirage 2000 EGM/BGM standard aircraft to India. Nevertheless, it seems that the majority of the sales will be directed towards supporting India’s existing Mirage fleet.

While some aircraft may still be capable of flying, the expense of upgrading them with contemporary technologies could make it impractical. As a result, it is likely that these airframes will be exclusively used for spare parts.

The IAF’s current Mirage fleet has significant deficiencies, such as the absence of a new engine, AESA radar, integrated EW systems, network-centric warfare capabilities, and advanced weapon systems. The IAF is challenged with ensuring that its Mirage aircraft remain technologically up-to-date and relevant for future years.While the mentioned technological advancements can be integrated through upgrades, the airframe has a restricted certified lifespan, and Dassault Aviation ceased production of the aircraft ten years ago, making the procurement of essential spare parts a difficult process. This presents a challenge for the IAF in ensuring the long-term airworthiness of the aircraft.

In 2011, India entered into an agreement with the French company Thales to enhance 51 Mirage 2000-H standard aircraft to the 2000-5 standard. As part of the upgrade package valued at $2.1-$2.2 billion, two aircraft were slated for enhancement at the Thales facility in France, with the remaining aircraft scheduled for upgrades at the HAL facility in India.The enhancements encompassed avionics upgrades, integration of sophisticated electronic warfare systems, navigation system improvements, transitioning to a glass cockpit, weapon upgrades, and other improvements. However, the expenses and duration of the upgrade project sparked controversy as the process was still ongoing a decade later.

In 2021, the IAF finalized a deal with the French government to purchase 24 decommissioned Mirage aircraft for 27 million euros. These aircraft will serve as a source of crucial spare parts and components required to maintain the airworthiness of the IAF’s current Mirage fleet through upgrades.This marked the second agreement made by the IAF to sustain the operational status of the Mirage fleet. In 2020, a contract was established with the French Air Force for the procurement of 16 retired Mirage aircraft.

The Mirage aircraft has been in operational use by the IAF for nearly forty years. Many countries around the world that currently utilize the Mirage are transitioning to more advanced aircraft models. For example, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Greece have agreed to acquire the Rafale aircraft, indicating a probable replacement for their current Mirage 2000 fleets.In 2023, the UAE finalized an agreement to procure 80 Rafale aircraft, whereas Greece signed a contract in 2020 to secure 18 Rafale aircraft in order to replace their aging Mirage 2000s.

All weapon systems have a certified technical lifespan, after which their utilization may become harmful or ineffective. A midlife upgrade provides enhanced lethality and the opportunity to modernize essential systems including avionics, weapon packages, electronic warfare systems (EWS), and communication systems.In unique circumstances, the engine may also be swapped out. In the situation of India’s Mirage, upgrades have encompassed the replacement of nearly all components except for the engine.

Nevertheless, defense technology is always progressing. In areas such as electronics, avionics, communication, and weaponry, developments are swift. For example, passive electronically scanned array (PESA) radars are now being substituted with active electronically scanned array (AESA) radars.Moreover, gallium arsenide semiconductor-based radars are currently being swapped out in favor of gallium nitride semiconductor-based radars. This upgrade allows for increased power generation and extended detection range without the need to replace the engine or modify the radome.Likewise, the performance of older generation aircraft is significantly improved by the utilization of gallium nitride-based semiconductors in the development of various sensors.

In 2021, the United States Marine Corps upgraded their older F/A-18A-D Hornets by installing the APG-79 (V) 4 radar, which utilizes gallium nitride semiconductor technology. These legacy Hornets feature smaller radomes and are equipped with two less powerful GE-404 engines that deliver a maximum thrust of 80-85 KN per engine.Nevertheless, the gallium nitride semiconductor radar matched the performance of the F/A-18 Super Hornets, even without the addition of a new engine and larger antenna. Such advancements are instrumental in ensuring the continued relevance of older aircraft in contemporary warfare.

As per the IAF’s strategy, the domestically produced light combat aircraft Mark II is slated to serve as the preferred substitute for the Mirage 2000 aircraft. Nevertheless, delays in the aircraft’s development are prompting the IAF to prolong the utilization of Mirage 2000 aircraft beyond 2040, despite the initial plan to retire the aircraft by 2030.The mid-life upgrade of the aircraft began in 2011 and has since progressed. Simultaneously, there have been groundbreaking advancements in software, sensors, and avionics, including the incorporation of gallium nitride semiconductors, network-centric warfare, integrated electronic warfare systems, active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar, and contemporary weapon systems.

The Mirage aircraft were not produced in India through licensed manufacturing, unlike other aircraft like the MiG 21, which were domestically manufactured in India.Even after being in operation for close to sixty years, the MiG 21 has not encountered any spare parts issues because India has acquired the technology required to domestically manufacture the aircraft and its spare parts.On the contrary, the Mirage aircraft were obtained in a fly-away condition off the shelf, unlike the domestically manufactured MiG 21.

India might encounter comparable challenges with the Rafale aircraft since they were procured through an off-the-shelf process instead of being produced under license as initially planned.To prevent possible issues with maintenance and the availability of spare parts, India may consider acquiring additional Rafale jets through the 114 multi-role fighter aircraft tender. This would allow for the establishment of a production line in India.This would guarantee that there are no potential problems regarding maintenance and the availability of spare parts throughout the aircraft’s lifespan.

Girish Linganna
Aerospace & Defence Analyst

( The author Girish Linganna of this article is a Defence, Aerospace & Political Analyst based in Bengaluru. He is also Director of ADD Engineering Components, India, Pvt. Ltd, a subsidiary of ADD Engineering GmbH, Germany. You can reach out to him at: girishlinganna@gmail.com )

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