Mirage 2000: Indian Air Force (IAF) Headquarters is seriously considering inducting the indigenous Astra Mk 1 Beyond Visual Range Air to Air Missile (BVRAAM) in the upgraded fleet of Mirage 2000 fighter aircraft. This decision can play an important role in bridging the capability gap of the Air Force till the arrival of foreign next generation missiles.

Currently, the Indian Air Force’s Mirage 2000 aircraft rely on MICA IR and MICA RF missiles, whose effective strike range is said to be around 80 kilometers. According to defense sources, this range is now considered less than the long-range missile systems available with regional rivals, which may impact air combat capability.

Work continues on MICA NG

According to the report of idrw.org, European defense company MBDA is working on the next generation MICA NG (New Generation) missile, whose estimated range will be 150 to 160 kilometers. This missile has been confirmed to be compatible with India’s upgraded Mirage 2000 5 aircraft. However, its delivery is expected by the end of 2028-29, while full operational clearance may take an additional 3 to 4 years due to the testing and integration process.

Upgraded Mirage 2000 equipped with RDY 2 radar

Thales RDY 2 all-weather synthetic aperture radar has been installed in the upgraded Mirage 2000 aircraft of the Indian Air Force. This radar is capable of tracking fighter targets with 5 square meter radar cross section from a distance of 120 to 140 kilometers. Earlier Mirage variants had Thomson CSF RDM radar, but the RDY 2 is now considered more capable for multi-mode and BVR warfare. If the Astra Mk 1 is approved for inclusion in the Mirage 2000, it will require technical collaboration with Thales. With this, an accurate data link can be established between the RDY 2 radar and the Astra missile, so that the fire and forget capability and guidance of the missile remains fully effective. Astra Mk 1 has already been successfully operationalized on Su 30MKI and Tejas fighter aircraft.

Strategic benefits will come soon from indigenous option

While MICA NG may have to wait until the early 2030s for full deployment, Astra Mk 1 appears to be a timely, cost-effective and indigenous interim solution. The deployment of Astra Mk 1 with the strong detection capability of the RDY 2 radar can quickly increase the striking range and lethality of the Mirage 2000 fleet.

Self-reliant India will get a big boost

The decision to include Astra Mk 1 in Mirage 2000 will strengthen the Self-reliant India initiative. This will not only lead to widespread use of indigenous missile systems, but will also reduce dependence on foreign upgrades. Additionally, it will help keep the Mirage 2000 aircraft relevant in future challenging air combat scenarios.

Ukraine President Volodimir Jailonsky confirmed on Wednesday (July 23, 2025) that Ukraine lost a Mirage 2000 fighter aircraft supplied by France. Jailonsky said, “Unfortunately today we lost our fighter aircraft, a French aircraft, a highly effective aircraft, our one Mirage Jet.”

Jailonsky said that the pilot successfully exited the aircraft and he also said that the accident did not happen due to the Russian attack. According to the news agency Xinhua, the Ukrainian Air Force said that the aircraft crashed during a flight mission, causing no casualties on the ground.

Ukraine got Mirage in February

Ukraine received the first batch of Mirage 2000 fighter aircraft from France in February. This was the first time that there has been an accident related to the Mirage aircraft from France in Ukraine. These fighter aircraft were flying Ukrainian pilots, which were trained in France for several months.

On June 6, 2024, French President Emmanuel Macron announced, “France will provide Mirage 2000-5 fighter aircraft to Ukraine.” The French Army will train an entire Ukrainian battalion of 4,500 soldiers, which will be deployed in the battlefield.

French President said this

He said that the supply of French fighter aircraft is not a stress -increasing factor and promised that these weapons would not be used to bomb the citizens. In addition, Macron also did not rule out the possibility of sending military trainers to Ukraine.

He said in an interview that there should be no restriction on this subject. Mirage 2000 is a French fighter aircraft. It has a single-engine and is a fourth generation jet, which is produced by Dassault Aviation. It is capable of carrying accurate-directed weapons including SCALP missiles.

France has limited number of fighter aircraft

However, Kiev has not told how many aircraft France has given or how many aircrafts are planned. According to the French daily Le Monde, the French Air Force has only limited number of fighter aircraft. A report states that these fighter aircraft are barely sufficient for France to fulfill all their daily responsibilities.

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Operation Sindoor: On the morning of 7 May 2025, India conducted such a military operation that not only destroyed the hideouts of the terrorists, but also the weakness of Pakistan’s Air Force and security system. The name of this mission was ‘Operation Sindoor’, which was run in response to the terrorist attack on April 22 in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir. 26 innocent citizens were killed in this terrorist attack.

The Indian Air Force targeted the 9 terrorist bases in Pakistan and POK with great accuracy while living within its borders. But after the operation, Pakistan created a sensation by making a big claim. He said that he had killed five jets, including three Rafael of India. This claim caught everyone’s attention, but soon its reality came out. Actually, Pakistan was not cheated by the X-guard decoy, not the real Rafael.

Success of Operation Sindoor
Operation Sindoor was started on 7 May 2025, when the Indian Air Force decided to give a strong reply against the terrorists. In this operation, state-of-the-art jets like Rafael, Sukhoi SU-30 MKI and Mirage 2000 were used. These aircraft targeted Pakistan and PoK terrorist bases with Scalp cruise missiles and Spice-20,000 bombs.

It is worth noting that Indian fighter jets did not cross their limits even once. He carried out accurate attacks while living in Indian airspace. This proved that India’s technical capacity is so strong that even without crossing the border, the enemy’s bases can be demolished.

Pakistan’s claim and its truth
After the operation, Pakistan claimed that it had killed five Indian Air Force aircraft. It included three Rafale, one SU-30 MKI, a MiG-29 and a drone. Pakistani media and military spokespersons promoted it as a big achievement, but the truth came out soon.

Indian military sources and international defense experts clarified that the aircraft that Pakistan claimed to kill was actually X-Guard Jaming Decoy, not the real Rafael or other fighter aircraft. These decoys confused the enemy radar and missiles so much that they could not make a difference between real and fake.

What is x-guard jamming decoy
The X-Guard is an Israeli technology-based fiber-optic todd dicky, especially added to the spectra electronic war system with Rafale Jets. Its weight is only 30 kg and it is connected to a cable behind Rafael.

The biggest feature of this decoy is that it sends a jamming signal at 360 degrees, which confuses the active Sikars of the enemy’s radar and missiles. AI (Artificial Intelligence) -based technology copies the doppler shift of radar signal and makes itself look like a real jet.

It also has a digital radio frequency memory (DRFM) technology, which records the enemy’s radar signal and manipulates it. This creates false targets (false goals), which deviates in the wrong direction of the enemy.

The X-Guard managed to stay out of the no-escape zone of the air-like surface-like surface-like surface-like missiles due to the X-Guard.

Rafael’s spectra suit
The biggest strength of the Rafale fighter aircraft is its spectra electronic war suit, developed by French companies Thales and MBDA. It is a multi-layer security system that is an integrated system of radar detection, jamming and countmate.

The spectra has active and passive sensors, which detect the dangers in 360 degrees. This includes a low Probability of Intercept (LPI) technology, so that the enemy does not know its presence. This system confuses the enemy radar and missiles through Chaf, Flairs and Directed Jaming. Its algorithm radar the radar signal immediately analyzes the retaliation.

Spectra coordinates with RBE2-AA AESA radar with Rafael, which can track 40 goals up to 145 km. Along with this, it constructs a network-centric war system by connecting through real-time data links from other aircraft, AWACS and ground stations.

Real effect of operation
While Pakistan was claiming that it killed Indian aircraft, the Indian Air Force had all the evidence that no pilot was harmed. IAF proved on the basis of radar data, satellite imagery and signal intelligence (SIGINT) that the operation was successful and many important enemies of the enemy were destroyed.

According to sources, many fighter aircraft of Pakistan Air Force such as Mirage-5, JF-17, F-16 and possibly a Saab 2000 Erieye AWACS were inactivated in Indian attacks. The satellite image released by the Indian Startup Kawa Space was also seen a destroyed hangar on the Bholari airbase, which was targeted with the BrahMos missile.

American pilot appreciated
According to the website of the Indian Defense Research Wing, former US F-15E strike Eagle and F-16 Thunderbird Pilot Ryan Bodenhaimer fiercely appreciated the Indian Air Force strategy on the success of Operation Sindoor. He described it as the best spuofing and deception operation ever and specially credited Rafael’s X-Guard and Spectra techniques, which strayed Pakistani missiles from real targets.

Operation Sindoor: The Indian Army destroyed 9 terrorist bases of Pakistan on Tuesday and Wednesday night (May 06). The operation was named Operation Sindoor by the Indian Army. The terrorist camps in Pakistan were accurately attacked by the Indian Armed Forces. This airplane was done at the terrorist bases from where terrorist attacks were planned against India. Many powerful weapons were used in India in this attack.

India used the scalp missile of Rafale (Rafale) fighter jet as well as the Prime Minister of the country to freeze the stronghold of terror in Pakistan. In the common press conference that India’s Foreign Secretary and Forces had held, it was said that the Taisan Weapon was used. It is believed that this Prasan Vapan was BrahMos.

Sukhoi fighter jets were equipped with BrahMos missiles

Sukhoi fighter jets of the Indian Air Force were recently equipped with BrahMos missiles. At the same time, the Army also uses the land -to -land BrahMos missile.

India has prepared the world’s only supersonic cruise missile BrahMos in the country with the help of Russia. BrahMos is the Prime Strike Vaypene of India, which has been named by mixing the names of Brahmaputra and Russia’s Moskwa River in India.

It is believed that no radar and weapon, missile system of the world can intercepted it, that is, once BrahMos is stained, no one can stop it like Brahmastra and falls on its goal and falls on the target.

BrahMos aerospace’s big claim

The BrahMos Aerospace, the company that makes BrahMos, claims that the range of BrahMos is 290 km while the operation range is considered more. Its speed is 2.8 McKay i.e. two and a half times more speed than the speed of voice. However, India has also prepared a missile of BrahMos, an extended range i.e. 450-500 km.

All three organs of the army use prime strike weapon

The BrahMos missile is one of the selected weapons (missiles) of India that the Army, Air Force and Navy use all three. The BrahMos missile has also been integrated at the Air Force frontline aircraft, Sukhoi.

The artillery of the Army also uses the BrahMos missile. Navy warships have also been equipped with BrahMos. Due to which the Navy ships have become more deadly and have become able to target from the sea to the ground.

According to information received from reliable sources, apart from this, Israeli’s Loettering Munition Harop has also been used. This has come to the world for the first time that the Indian Air Force uses Harop. In 2021, it was definitely reported that India has signed a deal to buy 100 Loitoring Municipalities from Israel.

Till now, the Indian Air Force uses only Israeli’s Heron and Surveillance Surveillance Drone, this information was in the public domain. It is also reported that Israeli’s Spice-20,000 bombs were also used to destroy the terrorist camps of Lashkar, Jaish and Hizbullah.

In 2019, the Indian Air Force also used a Spice bomb from Mirage-200 fighter jet to destroy Jaish-e-Mohammed’s Terror Camp.

Use of Rafael, Sukhoi and Mirage aircraft in Operation Sindoor

On the night of 6 May, Rafael, Sukhoi SU-30 MKI and Mirage 2000 fighter aircraft were engaged in operation in the airplaces conducted by India inside Pakistan. These aircraft targeted suspected terrorist bases in Pak authorized areas.

In this operation, the ‘Scalp’ missile was used, which is known for its long distance and ability to hit the accurate target. This missile can destroy the goals located at a distance of more than 500 km with great accuracy.

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