Thales offers to upgrade IAF Mirage 2000s

17 Jul 2007

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Thales is willing to supply electronic combat subsystems and upgrade products for the Indian Air Force’s Mirage 2000s, for which the request for proposals (RFP) — originally expected last year — may now be released within the next month. The Mirage 2000, which was to be upgraded to the Mirage 2000-5, now will incorporate features specified by India, and dubbed the M2000 H/TH. India's squadron strength is now reduced to 30.

The upgrade is centred around mission data coupled with multi-mode radars and six MICA missiles. "India wants a lightening pod, not the Damocles multifunction and laser designation pod supplied with the Rafale," Thales spokesperson Jean-Luc Queval said. The company is finalising a memorandum of understanding with Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL), India's largest government defense manufacturer.

India is also considering inviting competitors for the retrofit bid, but a government official acknowledged that it could be taking a risk of not going with the original equipment manufacturers (OEMs). Unlike recent deals signed with Russia for 40 Su-30MKIs and 80 Mi-17 medium-lift helicopters, in which the offset clause was not invoked and the orders treated as part of earlier deals, Thales is treating the retrofit as a fresh order and says it is committed to 30 per cent offsets. Meanwhile, Thales is also upgrading Mirage 2000s to the 2000-5 configuration for Greece and to Mirage 2000-9 for the United Arab Emirates.

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