Super-Mirage

Super-Mirage
Super-Mirage prototype 001 in the late 1970s.
Role	Interceptor, air superiority fighter, Strike fighter
National origin	Sieuxerr
Manufacturer	Dassault
Designer	Dassault
First flight	1977
Introduction	1984
Status	In service
Primary user	Sieuxerrian Air Force Solevant Air Force
Produced	1984–present
Number built	300~
Developed from	Dassault Mirage 2000

The Dassault Super Mirage (Known also as the Super Mirage 4000 or simply the Mirage 4000) is a twin or single-seat, twinjet, interceptor, air superiority fighter and Strike fighter used by the Sieuxerrian Air Force and other allied countries. Developed from the Dassault Mirage 2000, the Super Mirage is enlarged with better overall capabilities. It is analogous with the Letnian Su-27, Menghean SR-8, Anglian Typhoon, and the Tir Glasian F-15.

The Mirage 4000 was initially developed to maximize use of older and previously used parts developed for other aircraft, as the Mirage 4000, along with the Mirage 2000, had been developed right before and into the Great Malaise. Both the 2000 and 4000 were designed to be later expanded upon as economic and material conditions would improve in Sieuxerr. The Mirage 2000 would encounter problems later in life as its design was relatively difficult and costly to upgrade, with the majority being removed from service before 2020. Contrary to this the Mirage 4000 has enjoyed a long service life and is expected to serve well into the 2040s as a strike fighter to complement the 5th generation fighters coming into service.

Design

Cockpit

Cockpit of an early Mirage 4000

Engines

The Super-Mirage is equipped with two Snecma M53 afterburning turbofan engines. Equipped with the improved M53-P2 found in the Mirage-Menace and the Dassault Mirage 2000. From 2005 to 2011, the entire fleet was upgraded with the M88-10 engine, based off the M88-2 engine used by the Rafale, generating 70 kN (15,500 lbf) and 100 kN (25,000 lbf) (with afterburner). The engine greatly improved handling of the aircraft at speed.

Weaponry

The Menace is equipped with a single 30mm GIAT 30 revolver cannon with selectable rate of fire of 300 rpm to 2,500 rpm. It is mounted under the right intake.

Avionics

The Super-Mirage uses a derivative of the Thomson-CSF Giraffe radar from the Menace. It achieves upwards of 165km range against comparable fighter-sized objects with over 270km range against large bomber-sized objects. It has multi-target tracking abilities. In the mid-2000s, apart of a major overhaul, the older mechanically scanned radar arrays were replaced by electronically scanned active radar arrays.

Variants

Super Mirage 4000

Pre-production and production prototypes produced between 1980 and 1984, 11 total aircraft produced.

Mirage 4000C

Single-seat all-weather fighter. Initally equipped with the RDM-4000 but later RDI-4000 radar used for dedicated interception units. 210 produced between 1984-1995.

Mirage 4000B

Twin-seat trainer and strike fighter. Equiped solely with the RDM-4000. 78 produced between 1984-1994.

Mirage 4000D

Dedicated twin-seat strike fighter upgrade over 4000B. Fitted with new RDY-4000 radar, improved eletronic warfare systems, retractable refueling probe. 48 produced between 1997-2002.

Mirage 4000NGC

Nouvelle génération (New Generation). Complete overhaul with new electronic warfare package SPECTRA, IRST sensor, new digital displays, RBE-4 PESA radar, expanded weapon stations. Modified airframe to take new SNECMA M99 engines. Single-seat fighter variant. 116 produced between 2003-2019.

Mirage 4000NGD

Twin-seat strike and trainer variant of 4000NG. 88 produced between 2003-2017.

Mirage 4000RMV

Further improvement over 4000NGD, new build aircraft have RBE4-AA AESA radar, blinding-laser protected canopy, DIRCM countermeasures. New all full glass cockpit. 48 produced from 2020-2022 with an additional 48 more on order.

Operators

Current

• Sieuxerr
  • Sieuxerrian Air Force - 240 active service, 120 in storage
    • 13^e escadres de chasse - 42 Mirage 4000NGC, 6 Mirage 4000NGD
    • 14^e escadres de chasse - 42 Mirage 4000NGC, 6 Mirage 4000NGD
    • 15^e escadres de chasse - 32 Mirage 4000NGD, 16 Mirage 4000NGC
    • 16^e escadres de chasse - 48 Mirage 4000RMV
    • 17^e escadres de chasse - 32 Mirage 4000NGD, 16 Mirage 4000NGC
• Solevant
  • Solevant Air Force - 12 active service
    • 3^e escadrille - 12 Mirage 4000NGD

Specifications

Mirage 4000C (1985)

General characteristics

• Crew: 1
• Length: 18.7 m (61 ft 4 in)
• Wingspan: 12 m (39 ft 4 in)
• Height: 5.8 m (19 ft 0 in)
• Wing area: 72.7 m² (783 sq ft)
• Empty weight: 13,400 kg (29,542 lb)
• Gross weight: 17,740 kg (39,110 lb) combat weight
• Max takeoff weight: 32,000 kg (70,548 lb)
• Fuel capacity: 9,045 kg (19,941 lb) internal, 8,000 kg (18,000 lb) maximum external fuel
• Powerplant: 2 × SNECMA M53-5 afterburning turbofan engines, 54.0 kN (12,100 lbf) thrust each dry, 86.3 kN (19,400 lbf) with afterburner

Performance

• Maximum speed: 2,600 km/h (1,616 mph; 1,404 kn) max level speed
• Maximum speed: Mach 2.12
• Approach speed: 260 km/h (160 mph; 140 kn)
• Cruise speed: 1,911.6 km/h (1,188 mph; 1,032 kn)
• Range: 2,000 km (1,243 mi; 1,080 nmi)
• Combat range: 1,300 km (808 mi; 702 nmi) air superiority mission with 2× R.550 Magic II, 2× Super 530D, cannons
• Ferry range: 4,300 km (2,672 mi; 2,322 nmi) with external fuel tanks
• Service ceiling: 20,000 m (66,000 ft)
• Rate of climb: 305 m/s (60,000 ft/min)
• Time to altitude: 15,000 m (49,213 ft) 3 minutes
• Wing loading: 220 kg/m² (45 lb/sq ft) at combat weight

Armament

• Guns: 2× DEFA 554 with 125 rpg
• Hardpoints: Total of 12: Six under-wing, four under-fuselage, two centerline pylon stations with a capacity of 8,000 kg (17,637 lb),
• Missiles:
  
  • Air-to-air missiles:
    • 6× R.550 Magic
    • 6× Super 530
    • 6× Vipera
  • Air-to-surface missiles:
    • 4× AS-30 TV/Laser guided missile
    • 4× Exocet AM-39 anti-ship missile
    • 2× Martel AS-37 anti-radiation missile
• Bombs:
  
  • 10× BGL-250 laser guided bombs
  • 6× BGL-1000 laser guided bombs
  • 27× 250kg unguided bombs
  • 6× 1000kg unguided bombs
  • 27× DURANDAL anti-runway bombs
  • 72× BAP 100/120 anti-runway bombs
  • 18× BLG-66 BELOUGA cluster bombs
• Others:
  • up to 3× 2,500 litres (660 US gal) external drop tanks for ferry flight or extended range/loitering time

Avionics

• Radar:
  • Radar Doppler Multifunction-4000 OR
  • Radar Doppler à Impulsions-4000
• Targeting pods:
  • ATLIS II daytime laser/electro-optical targeting pod
  • Éclaireur navigation pod
• Countermeasures:
  • Flare pod
  • Chaff pod
  • Jamming pod