Mirage 2000 is the famous Mirage III’s successor. Using Dassault’s traditional tailless delta wing, Mirage 2000 first flight occurred on March the 10th 1978. It has been since declined into several specialized versions:
-Mirage 2000B (B stands for Biplace= two-seats) is a two-seats fighter used for both interception and training missions. Its first flight took place on October the 11th 1980, and it was delivered to French Air Force from summer 1983.
-Mirage 2000C (C stands for Chasse= fighter) is a single-seat fighter used for interception missions and air police. Its first flight took place on March the 10th 1978, and it was delivered to French Air Force from summer 1983.
-Mirage 2000N (N stands for Nucléaire = nuclear strike) is a two-seats strike fighter used for both nuclear strikes (with the ASMP medium range tactical missile) and classical ground strikes. Its first flight took place on February the 3rd 1983, and it was delivered to French Air Force from April the 1st 1988.
-Mirage 2000D is an extrapolation from the 2000N. It’s a two-seats strike fighter able to use last standard arms in French inventory, including under development Apache / SCALP and AASM. It’s also able to deliver the ASMP nuclear missile. Mirage 2000D is first French aircraft able to lead night/ all weather missions, a need expressed by French Air Force’s staff after the Gulf war. Its first flight took place on February the 19th 1991, and it was delivered to French Air Force from April the 9th 1993.
- Mirage 2000-5F is the last of the Mirage 2000’s series. It’s dedicated to air interception, and was intended as gap-filler between the Mirage 2000B/C and the Rafale. It’s a greatly improved version of the Mirage 2000C, with the ability to engaging several targets at once. It also carries the new missile MICA. Its first flight took place on October the 24th 1990, and it was delivered to French Air Force from April 1999.
Mirage 2000’s series is a commercial success as Mirage III’s series had previously been. Among users, there’s Taiwan, Greece, United Arab Emirates, Egypt…
Original Author: François Guérin
