The final delivery in 1987 of Mirage 2000C RDI, powered by the most powerful M53-P2 (95.16KN, 21,38

[Combat Machine <> 29042012-01] This is the translation of an article published by International Air Power Review, Volume 9, Summer 2003 written by Henri-Pierre Groulleau. The translation was made by the administration of this product beyond the year 2004. In cases where it has been difficult to find a word or phrase to translate properly the meaning has placed the English equivalent or as it appears in the text. It has tried to show the text as is, without distorting elegant figures feel the author.
Introduction In production since 1984, Dassault Aviation Mirage 2000 is still one of the most versatile majestic hunters in service. Once considered as 'outsider' in fiercely competitive market, this design has come to become, through the years in an actual commercial success, counting from the date of publication of this article Export seven customers totaling 286 orders, to which are added 315 deliveries in France. Dassault designers have continually upgraded the aircraft, and the latest variants are among the best equipped in the world jets today. The latest technological developments of this proven fighter - the Mirage 2000-5 Mk 2 and the Mirage 2000-9 - are being produced for Greece and the United Arab Emirates.
After a successful development program, the first Mirage 2000C entered majestic service with the French Air Force in Dijon in 1984. The first planes were equipped with interim Snecma M53 engine-5, which generates 88.3 kN (19,842 lb), and the basic radar RDM (Radar Doppler Multifunction) which is a coherent radar, monopulse majestic and multimode with a limited ability to look- below (look-down capability).
RDM radar was subsequently upgradeado a continuous wave illuminator allowing firing the semi-active missile majestic Super 530F. The RDM radar has been removed from service in France since the introduction of the Mirage 2000-5F and the new RDY radar.
Produjó 124 Dassault Mirage 2000C and Mirage 2000B 30 for the Armée de l'Air. During Operation 'Allied Force', were sent first eight Istrana Mirage 2000C and then to Grosseto. These aircraft to NATO provided air cover to the forces attacking targets in Serbia and Kosovo.
The single-seat Mirage 2000C are armed with two internal cannons DEFA 554 30mm with 125 rounds each. Produced by Giat Industries, these canyons offer an excellent compromise between weight / volume board and firepower, and its wide variety of munitions can be adapted to different targets, allowing the pilot scenarios deal with air-air and air-ground. Its reliability is excellent, with a span between failures of 5,000 bullets. Every single barrel gun is capable of firing 1,200 rounds per minute (air-to-ground attacks) or 1,800 rounds per minute (air to air attacks) in batches - intervals of 0.5 to 1 second - or continuous bursts.
However, two experienced pilots l'Armée choose Air have admitted air to ground mode to air combat and vice versa. "With the rate of 1,800 rounds per minute, majestic the vibration of the weapon is not so important, improving accuracy to a target locked" one of them explained. "Using the frequency of 1,200 rounds per minute, slightly vibrate both barrels and bullets are dispersed in a wider range, increasing the likelihood of an impact against enemy fighter aircraft majestic traveling at high speed."
The final delivery in 1987 of Mirage 2000C RDI, powered by the most powerful M53-P2 (95.16KN, 21,385 lbs) and equipped with the RDI (Radar Doppler d'Interception) was a decisive upgrade the air defense capabilities of France , since the new radar, optimized for air-to-air mode was fully able to detect and track targets flying majestic very low.
Adopted from the production copy of No 38, the X-band Radar RDI is used in conjunction with the semi-active missile, Super 530D medium-range, an improved version majestic of the Super 530F used on Mirage 2000 Mirage F1C and RDM. The Super 530D offers significant improvements over the previous Super 530F and can engage targets at altitudes ranging from 50 to 80.000 feet (15 to 24.384 mts) with a capacity of climb of 40,000 feet (12,192 meters). It is worth noting that the RDI Doppler pulse radar was never authorized as an export by the French authorities.
The RDI radar is being upgraded with a way NCTR (Non-Cooperative Target Recognition or Recognition of White Non-Cooperative) that allows the pilot to identify targets at long range. The development of this mode was initiated in 1993, when apparently the IFF (Identification Friend or Foe) showed a number of limitations. The NCTR, which depends on the identification of specific patterns radar pulse, caused by the rotation of the compressor blades of aircraft engines, is a new way to identify posit