- India started using French Mirage 2000s in 1985 but started facing problems when in 2008 its R-530D and Magic II missiles became obsolete.
- The
Indian Air Force decided to integrate its Russian R-73 missiles with the Mirage and Israeli ‘Elbit’ successfully completed the project. Israel integrated the missiles not only with the fighter jet but also with the DASH helmet it was providing India.
Here’s how. An Indian pilot is flying a French Mirage fighter, weilding a Russian missile, with an Israeli helmet!
This ‘mix’ is also because Indian forces use legacy equipment, which has been causing concerns. Air Force’s Mirage 2000 fighter jet has been in service since 1985 and officially India is the only country currently operating this aircraft. So much so, its maker
In 2008, the R-530D and Magic II air-to-air missiles which Mirage was primarily equipped also became obsolete and the fighter was left without any missiles to fight the enemy aircrafts.
Source Code
As the procurement of similar aircraft was lengthy, and IAF didn’t have many options, they decided to integrate their Russian R-73 missiles onto Mirage. Putting the R-73, which was then in service with the Sukhoi 30s, Mig-29s and Mig-21 ‘Bison’ jets, with any western platforms had never been tried before.
This project did not go down well with the French who refused to assist India in this ‘Jugaad’ project. But an ‘innovative’ Israel was ready to take on the challenge.
The integration was finally done with the help of the country’s Elbit, which was also supplying Indian Air Force with its latest sophisticated DASH
“There were key challenges,” says an IAF officer who further added that, “This was a new helmet and we were working without source codes.”
So they had to go to extra lengths and make algorithms to make Mirage’s
While this was done under super surveillance as Elbit has to be given access to the aircraft’s sensitive information.
The other countries of France and
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