A fleet of Mirage 2000 deep-penetration fighter jets assisted by other assets of the Indian Air Force carried out the pre-dawn strike on the biggest terror camp of the Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) terror outfit in Pakistan, government sources said. The JeM had taken responsibility for the February 14 suicide attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pulwama in which 40 CRPF personnel were killed. The sources said the Mirage 2000 multi-role aircraft was chosen for the strike for its capability to hit targets with “pin-point” accuracy. A number of other assets and platforms of the IAF were also used in the operation, first inside Pakistan after the 1971 Indo-Pak war. Follow live updates here India currently has around three squadrons of Mirage 2000 fighter jets manufactured by French aerospace major Dassault Aviation. The squadrons are based in Gwalior. The Mirage 2000 is a French multi-role, single-engine fighter jet which is capable of dropping a range of bombs and missiles including laser-guided bombs. The Mirage 2000s are fitted with Thales RDY 2 radar which can strike at targets with 100 per cent accuracy, said an IAF official on condition of anonymity. The aircraft was preferred as it is capable of long-range engagement of targets and the assessment was that it can record 100 per cent success rate. India had inducted the Mirage jets around 30 years back and they are being upgraded at a cost of around Rs 20,000 crore. Also Read | IAF air strikes across LoC: Nation in safe hands, says PM Narendra Modi The sources said India will have a much wider choice of aircraft to carry out precision strikes when Rafale jets are inducted into the IAF as they are capable of hitting targets at longer range. India is procuring 36 Rafale jets at a cost of Rs 58,000 crore and the first aircraft is scheduled to be delivered in September. It is not clear whether the fleet of Mirage 2000s flew directly from Gwalior or they took off from other bases to carry out the strike. In a statement, Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale said India struck the biggest training camp of JeM in Balakot and that a very large number of JeM terrorists, trainers, senior commanders and groups of jihadis who were being trained for fidayeen action were eliminated. “This facility at Balakot was headed by Maulana Yosuf Azhar alias Ustad Ghouri, the brother-in-law of Masood Azhar, chief of JeM,” he said. Also Read | Yusuf Azhar, 1999 plane hijacker, headed Balakot Jaish camp hit by IAF Though there is no official confirmation, sources indicated that Yosuf Azhar was killed in the strike along with 350 other terrorists. He is understood to be involved in the hijacking of the Indian Airlines flight IC-814 in December 1999. “The Government of India is firmly and resolutely committed to taking all necessary measures to fight the menace of terrorism. Hence this non-military preemptive action was specifically targeted at the JeM camp,” said Gokhale. “The selection of the target was also conditioned by our desire to avoid civilian casualties. The facility is located in thick forest on a hilltop far away from any civilian presence,” he added.<doc-sep>New Delhi, Feb 26: Twelve days after ghastly terror attack in Pulwama, a group of Mirage 2000 Indian Fighter jets struck a major terrorist camp across the LoC on Tuesday. The Mirage 2000 is a jet fighter made by Dassault aviation of France. The Dassault is also the maker of Rafale, which is embroiled in controversy now. In 1999, when the Kargil War broke out, the Mirage 2000 performed remarkably well during the whole conflict in the high Himalayas, even though the Mirages supplied to India had limited air interdiction capability and had to be heavily modified to drop laser-guided bombs as well as conventional unguided bombs. Also read: LIVE: India hits back, 3 JeM camps at Ballot, Chakoti, Muzaffarabad destroyed Armed with Paveway LGBs, the aircraft were involved in the destruction of enemy command bunkers. During Operation Safed Sagar from June-July 1999, two Mirage squadrons flew a total of 514 sorties. No. 1 Squadron flew air defence and strike escort missions, while No. 7 Squadron conducted 240 strike missions during which it dropped 55,000 kg (121,000 lb) of ordnance. Upgraded Mirage 2000: The Indian Air Force received the first two upgraded Mirage-2000 aircrafts from France under a Rs 10,000 crore deal in July 2018. The two upgraded aircraft, flown in by IAF pilots from France covering Greece, Egypt and Qatar in over seven days, landed at the Gwalior Air Force Station. The contract for upgradation was signed with Thales Aeroportes Systems and Dassault Aviation of France. Specifications: Countries of Origin: France Builder team: Dassault Aviation, SNECMA, Thomson-CSF First flight: March, 1978 [Mirage 2000C] February, 1991 [Mirage 2000D] In-service in the French Air Force: Summer 1983 [Mirage 2000C], April, 1993 [Mirage 2000D] Similar Aircraft: Mirage III/5, Kfir andViggen Crew: One Mirage 2000N & 2000D -- two [ 1 pilot + 1 navigation and weapon officer] Role: Interceptor [Mirage 2000C] All weather night and day missions such as Battlefield Air Interdiction (BAI) [Mirage 2000D] Story continues Major operational capabilities: [Mirage 2000D] Automated terrain following at very high speed and very low altitude, All-weather night and day bombing capability, High precision all weather day/night bombing with Thomson-CSF PDL-CT (With PTI inputs) Also Read: Rafale: Politics aside, SC has protected national security, Air Marshal B K Pandey Bigger, better, deadlier: Why the air strike is more lethal than the surgical strike J&K: Pakistan violates ceasefire in Nowshera Sector in Rajouri district<doc-sep>The F-16 (Right) is still used in a full-fledged combat missions while the Mirage 2000 (Left) is a fast, interceptor jet fighter. At least 12 Mirage 2000 multirole fighter jets, manufactured by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) under license from Dassault Aviation, on Tuesday (February 26) carried out a bombing operation to decimate multiple terror training camps across the Line of Control (LoC) in Pakistan. The aircraft played a pivotal role in the Kargil war of 1999 and helped sway the battle in India's favour by dropping laser-guided bombs on the peaks occupied by Pakistani intruders during the high-altitude conflict. Although several advanced aircraft like Sukhoi Su-30MKI and MiG 29 have been inducted in the IAF over the years, the Mirage 2000 has been one of the most instrumental interceptor jets in IAF's history. IAF airstrike in Pakistan LIVE Updates Considered to be a fast-paced bomber aircraft, the Mirage 2000 took its first flight in 1978. After its induction into IAF, it was called the Vajra. India had initially ordered some 36 single-seater Mirage 2000 aircraft and 4 twin-seater Mirage 2000 aircraft as a response to Pakistan's acquisition of US-made F-16 Falcon fighter jets-the same fighter aircraft Pakistan claims was used to challenge the IAF during today's operation. The F-16 Falcon, manufactured by Lockheed Martin, is an equally efficient fighter jet which is still in service. Some experts consider this aircraft as one of the most prolific jets in service. Apart from the US, at least 25 other countries use the F-16. Mirage 2000 vs F16 Falcon The Mirage 2000, also known as the Dassault Mirage 2000, is a single-engine fourth generation aircraft manufactured by Dassault Aviation, the same company which signed the Rafale aircraft deal with India. The lightweight fighter jet was designed in the late 1970s to replace the existing Mirage III. With time, the aircraft was upgraded to serve as a multirole fighter jet after it was initially inducted into the French Air Force in July 1984. Some of the primary users of this aircraft are France, UAE, Egypt, Peru, Greece, Taiwan, Brazil, and India. At least 600 units were built by France. The F-16 Falcon, on the other hand, is a single-engine supersonic multirole fighter, which was manufactured by General Dynamics, now Lockheed Martin for the US Air Force (USAF). A total of 4,500 aircraft have been manufactured since it was first introduced in 1976. It is popular for being an all-weather multirole aircraft as it offers better visibility than many of its direct competitors. Key features (engine, arms capacity) Mirage 2000 The Mirage 2000 is available in single-seat or twin-seat multi-role fighter variants. It has a length of approximately 48 feet and a wingspan of 29 feet. The height of the Mirage 2000 is 17 feet. While it weighs approximately 7,500 kilograms without load, a fully packed jet could have a weight of 13,800 kilograms. In terms of performance, the Mirage 2000 can reach top speeds of up to Mach 2.2 or 2,336 km/hour at high altitude while it can reach up to 1,110 km/hour in low altitude. It has a flight range of 1,550 kilometres along with a drop tank or an external fuel tank which can be jettisoned when empty. It has a ferry range of 3,335 km with auxiliary fuel. In terms of armaments, the Mirage 2000 has two 30 mm DEFA 554 revolver cannon. Each gun contains approximately 125 rounds and can be used for air-to-air combat. There are a total of nine hardpoints or weapon stations, designed to carry external weapons or fuel. The total capacity of the hardpoints maxes out at 6,300 kilograms. It is also capable of launching unguided Matra 68 mm rocket and has a capacity of 18 rockets per pod rockets. It is also capable of launching Air-to-Air and Air-to-Surface missiles. But the aircraft is mainly known for its capability of carrying out bombing operations. A single aircraft can hold at least 2 laser-guided bombs, capable of taking out major ground targets. Since a large number of weapons can be stored on this aircraft, the swift Mirage 2000 can definitely be used efficiently in both air-to-air and air-to-ground combat. It also boasts of a multi-target radar, allowing a pilot to keep a tab on multiple enemies during high-intensity combat. F-16 Falcon The F-16 Falcon is a single-engine aircraft but is better suited for air-to-air combat due to its high maneuvering capability. The multi-role tactical aircraft has a sleek design--though not as sharp as the advanced F-22 Raptor or the F-35--and uses advanced aerodynamics and avionics. Worth mentioning that it was the first aircraft built to pull 9-g manoeuvres, reaching maximum speeds of over Mach 2. Some of the key innovations in F16 include a frameless bubble canopy for better visibility, side-mounted control stick and reclined seat to reduce g-force effects on pilot. The F-16's cockpit is still praised for the clear field of view it offers; pilots can get a 360-degree view during combat, thus greatly improving accuracy. It is armed with a better M61 Vulcan cannon (20mm) in the left wing root and has multiple hardpoints for mounting a wide array of missiles, bombs, and pods. The internal Vulcan cannon on the F16 has an extremely high rate of firing (6,000 rounds per minute). This aircraft has an edge over the Mirage 2000 due to its ability to accelerate vertically. While earlier F-16s could be armed with up to six AIM-9 Sidewinder heat-seeking short-range air-to-air missiles (AAM), it is also capable of launching guided AIM-7 Sparrow medium-range air-to-air missiles. Recent versions of the F-16 aircraft also support AIM-120 AMRAAMs. It can carry a wide variety of air-to-ground missiles, rockets or bombs, electronic jammers. It has a total of 9 hardpoints-six under the wings, two under the wingtips and one under the fuselage. With a combat radius of 550 km with 450 kg of bombs, the aircraft is ideal for medium-range missions; it also has some key features that can fox the Mirage 2000 in direct air-to-air combat. It even boasts of more weapon storage capacity than the Mirage.<doc-sep>In the early hours of Tuesday, 12 Indian Air Force Mirage-2000 fighter jets from Dassault Aviation, the French company who also manufactures the Rafale Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircrafts, entered Pakistani airspace and dropped 1,000-kg laser-guided bombs on Jaish-e-Mohammed terror launch pads across the Line of Control. The Mirage-2000 are the same jets that helped India win the Kargil war. Indian government sources told CNN-News18 that there were over 200 casualties in the strike, which targeted the biggest JeM hideout in Balakot in a counter-terrorism operation. On Wednesday, there were reports that Pakistan Air Force has deployed its F-16 Falcon fighter jets, made by U.S. based Lockheed Martin. As a matter of fact India placed an order of 40 Mirage-2000 in 1982 as an answer to Pakistan buying F-16 fighter jets. Here’s how the Indian Air Force Mirage-2000 and Pakistan Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcon stack against each other? A Pakistan Air Force crew chief performs a post flight inspection on a F-16 Flacon at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev. (Image: US Air Force Photo by Lawrence Crespo) Origin & History Mirage-2000: The Mirage-2000 is undoubtedly one of the Indian Air Force's (IAF) most versatile and deadliest aircraft and it was first commissioned in 1985. Soon after inducting the Mirage, IAF gave it the name – Vajra – meaning lightening thunderbolt in Sanskrit. The Mirage-2000 is developed by Dassault Aviation and took its first flight in 1978 and was inducted in the French Air Force in 1984. The Mirage-2000 played a decisive role in the 1999 war of Kargil and seeing the success of the jets, the government in India placed an additional order of 10 Mirage-2000 planes in 2004, taking the total tally to 50 jets. Dassault built an estimated 580 Mirage-2000s over a course of 30 years before replacing it with the Rafael MMC jets. F-16 Fighting Falcon: The F-16 which is also called Fighting Falcon or Viper is known for its agility and is an after-product of Vietnam and Korean wars. The F-16 is a brainchild of Colonel John Boyd, who along with mathematician Thomas Christie and other innovators secured the U.S. DOD funding for General Dynamics and Northrop to design a lightweight agile aircraft. The result, as we know, is the F-16 fighter jet, which is now manufactured by Lockheed Martin, who bought the business from GD. The Pakistan Air Force took deliveries of the F-16 in early 80s and used them extensively during Soviet-Afghan war. PAF uses the F-16C/D variants of this multirole combat aircrafts. Mirage 2000. (Image: IAF) Specification Mirage-2000: The Mirage-2000 uses a single shaft engine that is light and simple as compared to other fighter jet engines and is called SNECMA M53. The majority of the Mirage 2000 is powered by the SNECMA M53-P2 engine and is rated at 65 kN (15,000 lbf) in dry thrust and 95 kN (21,000 lbf) in afterburner. The Mirage is ideally designed to seat single fighter pilot, but can be made into a twin seat jet depending on armed forces' requirements. It has a length of 14.36 metre and a wingspan of 91.3 metre. The plane weighs 7500 kg (dry) and has a total takeoff weight of 17000 kg. The Mirage 2000 has a maximum speed of Mach 2.2 (2336 kmph) and can travel 1550 km with drop tanks. The flight height is capped at 59000 ft (17km). The Mirage 2000 has a fly-by-wire flight control system and has a Sextant VE-130 HUD, which displays data related to flight control, navigation, target engagement, and weapon firing. In terms of the armament, the Mirage 2000 can carry laser guided bombs, air-to-air and air-to-surface missiles and has a Thomson-CSF RDY (Radar Doppler Multi-target) radar on board. F-16 Fighting Falcon: The F-16 Falcon is available in both single-seat and double seat configuration (C/D) and is a single engine aircraft. The fighter jet came into limelight when it became the first aircraft to pull 9-g manoeuvres, reaching a maximum speed over Mach 2. It has maximum high speed of 2120 kmph, a length of 15.06 metre and a wingspan of 9.96 metre. The plane weighs 8570 kg (dry) and has a maximum takeoff weight of 19200 kg. The Falcon uses a Pratt & Whitney F110-PW-220E engine, which is an upgraded version of Pratt & Whitney F100-PW-200 engines with which the F-16 C/D were initially powered. The F-16 offered many innovations like the frameless bubble canopy for better visibility, side-mounted control stick and reclined seat to reduce g-force effects on the pilot. The F-16 can carry rockets, air-to-air missiles, air-to-surface missiles and air-to-ship missiles along with a wide variety of bombs and also has a radar on-board. File photo of Mirage air crafts. (Image: AFP PHOTO) Countries using Mirage 2000 Apart from India, Dassault sold the Mirage 2000 to 8 other countries, including the home country of France, Egypt, UAE, Peru, Taiwan, Peru, Greece and Brazil. While Brazil has retired the Mirage 2000, other counties are still using this jet. A total of 583 Mirage 2000 fighter jets were built over a course of 30 years and its successor Rafael has already been ordered by the IAF. Countries using F-16 The F-16 Fighting Falcon is the world's most numerous fixed-wing aircraft in military service and a total of 4,500 aircraft have been manufactured till now. Pakistan Air Force is using an estimated 75 F-16s along with 25 other countries, including NATO members like Turkey, Belgium, Norway and United States, with the USAF being the biggest user of the F-16 Fighter Falcon. Lockheed Martin F-16. (Image: Lockheed Martin) Summary While the Mirage-2000 is both faster and lighter, F-16 can outpower the former in the air-to-air combat, thanks to better agility and better weapon carrying capacity. The popular all-weather multirole aircraft also has a better visibility (near 360 degrees) than many of its direct competitors. However, the Mirage-2000 can carry laser guided bombs a reason why the Indian Air Force used it for the recent strike on the Jaish terror network in PoK.<doc-sep>
Why Mirage 2000? Here's a brief history about the fighter aircraft: Specifications of the fighter jet, also called 'Vajra' (thunderbolt): (With PTI inputs) NEW DELHI: The Indian Air Force (IAF) carried out strikes at one of the biggest terror camps of Jaish-e-Mohammed in a "non-military", "pre-emptive" action in Pakistan's Balakot region. Defence sources have said that a fleet of Mirage 2000 carried out the exercise and pounded the terror camp with bombs and levelled it.The terror group had taken responsibility for the February 14 suicide attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama in which 40 CRPF personnel lost their lives. The government sources said the Mirage 2000 multi-role aircraft was chosen for the strike for its capability to hit targets with "pin-point" accuracy.A number of other assets and platforms of the IAF were also used in the operation, first inside Pakistan after the 1971 Indo-Pak war. * The Mirage 2000 is a multi-role, single-engine fighter jet which is capable of dropping a range of bombs and missiles including laser-guided bombs. * The Mirage 2000s are fitted with Thales RDY (radar doppler multi-target) 2 radar which can strike at targets with 100 per cent accuracy, said an IAF official on condition of anonymity. * The aircraft was preferred as it is capable of long-range engagement of targets and the assessment was that it can record 100 per cent success rate. * Mirage 2000 started its innings with the IAF in the year 1985. * The fighter jet played a decisive role in the 1999 Kargil war and turned it in our favour. * After that, the government placed order for more such aircrafts in 2004. * In July 2011, Centre approved a $2.2 billion upgrade package for its Mirage 2000s. * The jet is available in single-seater and two-seater options. * Maximum climbing speed: 60,000 feet per minute and designed for all weather penetration at low altitude. * Maker: Dassault Aviation of France (same company which manufactures Rafale aircraft)* After the upgradation, the jet got additional features like a night vision goggle-compatible glass cockpit, advanced navigational systems, advanced identification friend or foe (IFF) system, advanced multi-mode multi-layered radar, fully integrated electronic warfare suite and advanced beyond visual range (BVR) capability. * The jet has a length of 14.36 metre and a wingspan of 91.3 metre; it weighs 7500 kg (dry) and has a total takeoff weight of 17000 kg. * Apart from India, Dassault sold the Mirage 2000 to eight other countries, including France, Egypt, UAE, Peru, Taiwan, Peru, Greece and Brazil. * A total of 583 Mirage-2000 fighter jets were built over a course of 30 years. * India currently has around three squadrons of Mirage 2000 fighter jets manufactured by French aerospace major Dassault Aviation. The squadrons are based in Gwalior.The government sources also said India will have a much wider choice of aircraft to carry out precision strikes when Rafale jets are inducted into the IAF as they are capable of hitting targets at longer range. India is procuring 36 Rafale jets at a cost of Rs 58,000 crore and the first aircraft is scheduled to be delivered in September.It is not clear whether the fleet of Mirage 2000s flew directly from Gwalior or they took off from other bases to carry out the strike.