French Mirage 200D RMV and Mirage 2000B
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| French Mirage 2000D photographed from a tanker aircraft while conducting an inverted flight. |
Mirage 2000D
The Dassault Mirage 2000 aircraft family is a single engined jet with a SNECMA M53 turbofan engine. The early designs were made in the 1970s and during the mid 1980s it entered the French Air Force (Armee de l’Air) in the Air Defence role (Mirage 2000C) and the training role (Mirage 2000B).
Later the Mirage 2000D (for conventional air to ground attack) and the Mirage 2000N (for the nuclear ground attack) were developed as 2-seater aircraft with a pilot and a Weapons System Officer (Navigateur Officier Système d'Armes, NOSA). The Mirage 2000D and 2000N had many communalities and after the retirement of the Mirage 2000N in 2018, many parts were reused to keep the Mirage 2000D flying.
The Mirage 2000D started flying in 1995 and the main operating base is Base Aérienne Nancy (La base aérienne 133 Nancy-Ochey "Henry Jeandet", ICAO: LFSO) in the north-east of France.
There are 2 operational squadrons in the 3rd Escadre de Chasse (Air Wing 3), based at BA Nancy: Escadron de chasse 1/3 ‘Navarre’ and Escadron de chasse 3/3 ‘Ardennes’.
Upgrades
A first upgrade designated Mirage 2000D-R2 was delivered from 2001 onwards. A second upgrade program was started in 2009, to improve the strike role and the air-to-air capabilities. This provided a multirole capability that compensated for the eventual retirement of the Mirage 2000Cs.
Mid-Life Update
In the military planning law (‘Loi de Programmation Militaire (LPM) 2019-2025’), a Mirage 2000D upgrade was foreseen and at the moment, 55 aircraft are undergoing a mid-life upgrade known as Mirage 2000D RMV (Rénovation Mi-Vie, Mid Life Update).
The Dassault Mirage 2000 aircraft family is a single engined jet with a SNECMA M53 turbofan engine. The early designs were made in the 1970s and during the mid 1980s it entered the French Air Force (Armee de l’Air) in the Air Defence role (Mirage 2000C) and the training role (Mirage 2000B).
Later the Mirage 2000D (for conventional air to ground attack) and the Mirage 2000N (for the nuclear ground attack) were developed as 2-seater aircraft with a pilot and a Weapons System Officer (Navigateur Officier Système d'Armes, NOSA). The Mirage 2000D and 2000N had many communalities and after the retirement of the Mirage 2000N in 2018, many parts were reused to keep the Mirage 2000D flying.
The Mirage 2000D started flying in 1995 and the main operating base is Base Aérienne Nancy (La base aérienne 133 Nancy-Ochey "Henry Jeandet", ICAO: LFSO) in the north-east of France.
There are 2 operational squadrons in the 3rd Escadre de Chasse (Air Wing 3), based at BA Nancy: Escadron de chasse 1/3 ‘Navarre’ and Escadron de chasse 3/3 ‘Ardennes’.
Upgrades
A first upgrade designated Mirage 2000D-R2 was delivered from 2001 onwards. A second upgrade program was started in 2009, to improve the strike role and the air-to-air capabilities. This provided a multirole capability that compensated for the eventual retirement of the Mirage 2000Cs.
Mid-Life Update
In the military planning law (‘Loi de Programmation Militaire (LPM) 2019-2025’), a Mirage 2000D upgrade was foreseen and at the moment, 55 aircraft are undergoing a mid-life upgrade known as Mirage 2000D RMV (Rénovation Mi-Vie, Mid Life Update).
This MLU program has the objective of keeping the Mirage 2000D in service until the year 2035. This involves updating the avionics, providing a CC422 gun pod, replacing the Magic missiles by MICA missiles and integrating the GBU-48 and GBU-50 laser guided bombs. The MLU programs will last until 2024 the costs are estimated around 530 million Euros.
In February 2024, the first Mirage 2000D RMV was shown to the press, introduced by the commander the 3rd Escadre de Chasse, LtCol Julien (no lastname). He informed the audience about the deployments of the Mirage 2000D in various theaters, in Europe, Asia and Africa.
Mirage 2000B
The training version of the Mirage 2000 family is the Mirage 2000B. Until 2022 the Mirage training was performed at BA Orange (ICAO: LFMO), but with the upcoming closure due to an upgrade of the base; all Mirage 2000Bs were moved to BA Nancy in the summer of 2022.
Escadron de chasse 2/3 ‘Champagne’ (a former Mirage 2000D squadron, has taken over the role of Mirage 2000 training for the French Air Force. Major ‘BASH’ explained that the EC2/3 will train future Mirage 2000D pilots until the final retirement of the Mirage 2000D in 2035.
In February 2024, the first Mirage 2000D RMV was shown to the press, introduced by the commander the 3rd Escadre de Chasse, LtCol Julien (no lastname). He informed the audience about the deployments of the Mirage 2000D in various theaters, in Europe, Asia and Africa.
Mirage 2000B
The training version of the Mirage 2000 family is the Mirage 2000B. Until 2022 the Mirage training was performed at BA Orange (ICAO: LFMO), but with the upcoming closure due to an upgrade of the base; all Mirage 2000Bs were moved to BA Nancy in the summer of 2022.
Escadron de chasse 2/3 ‘Champagne’ (a former Mirage 2000D squadron, has taken over the role of Mirage 2000 training for the French Air Force. Major ‘BASH’ explained that the EC2/3 will train future Mirage 2000D pilots until the final retirement of the Mirage 2000D in 2035.
Text: Joris van Boven, Alex van Noije
Images: Joris van Boven (air-to-air), Alex van Noije (BA Nancy)
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