Even as the government on Wednesday announced the dates of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to France on April 9, 2015, Dassault handed over two upgraded Mirage 2000 fighter aircraft to the Indian Air Force in a formal ceremony at the Dassault Aviation Flight Test Centre in France. Mr. Modi will also travel to Germany on April 12, 2015 and Canada on April 14, 2015 before returning on April 17, 2015.
India had in 2011 signed a $ 2.4 billion grade deal with Thales and Dassault of France for upgrading its fleet of 51 Mirage 2000 aircraft it acquired in the 1980s and a separate $1.23 billion deal with MBDA for MICA air-to-air missiles to equip them.
“We are trusted partners of the Indian armed forces and have developed a strong local supply chain which helped us to make the upgrade of the Mirage 2000 a real success story,” said Pierre Eric Pommellet, Thales executive vice-president emphasising on Make in India.
Defence Ministry officials said that the next two aircraft will be upgraded by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) with French assistance while the remaining will be upgraded with technology transfer.
The upgraded aircraft will fill a crucial void at a time of dwindling fighter strength of the Air Force with delay in conclusion of Rafale deal and induction of Light Combat Aircraft.
India is currently negotiating with Dassault for the purchase of 126 Rafale aircraft under the multi-role fighter aircraft deal. However differences have cropped up over pricing and work share. France is keen to wrap the deal before Mr. Modi’s visit.
“The Rafale is the next logical step…,” declared Eric Trappier, chairman & CEO of Dassault Aviation at the ceremony.
After the upgrade the aircraft are “almost new” with their life extended by 10-15 years. Upgrades include state-of-the-art avionics, multi-mode radar, mission computers, glass cockpit, helmet-mounted display, electronic warfare suites among others.
