ENGAGE!MIRAGE 2OOO

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SummaryHere is the 5th issue of “ENGAGE!”,mostly dedicated to the UAE Air Force andAir Defense and their new Mirage 2000-9s.

You will find a feature article about theAir Warfare Center located at Al DhafraAir Force Base, Abu Dhabi, United ArabEmirates. It is the very first Tactical Centerin the Middle East to perform TacticalLeadership Programs (TLP), training pilotsin complex and realistic tactical situationsand developing leadership skills.

Enjoy!

The “ENGAGE!” Team

Editorial

About our cover:UAE AF & AD Mirage 2000-9's in the UAE skyPhotos K. Tokunaga

Photo creditsPhotos by French Air Force, SIRPA-Air, K. Tokunaga, F. Robineau,Thales, Snecma and Dassault Aviation.

Restriction notice:This publication is intended for information only. Its contents neitherreplace nor revise any material in official manuals or publications.All rights reserved.No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrievalsystem, transmitted in any form or by any electronic, mechanical,photocopying, recording or otherwise - translating in other language -without prior written permission of Dassault Aviation.

The UAE AF & ADAir Warfare Center

Flight safety corner

Top level technologyfor unparalleledoperational perfomance

A new control systemfor the M53-P2

Letters

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About our posters:R° : Three UAE Mirage 2000-9's over flying UAE landscapeV° : Hard turn during a Mirage 2000-9 presentationPhotos K. Tokunaga

Squadron chat

Trophies and diplomasawarded in the UAE...Trophies and diplomas wereawarded on January 19, 2005 inthe United Arab Emirates to 46 UAEAF&AD pilots (1,000 FH patchand diploma), 2 UAE AF&AD pilots(2,000 FH patch and diploma),3 FAF instructor pilots (1,000 FHpatch and diploma) and toDassault Aviation former displaypilot Laurent Fournier (3,000 FHpatch and diploma).

"Mirage 2000" added toMINI DOCAVIA book seriesHervé Beaumont has just publishedMINI DOCAVIA issues 19 and 20featuring the Mirage 2000 andother Dassault fighter aircraft.All versions of the Mirage 2000 arecovered with a full set of data.

...and in EgyptSeven Egyptian AF pilots were alsoawarded the 1,000 FH patch anddiploma on November 28, 2004during a ceremony at Berigateairbase in Egypt.

FAF 1/3 "Navarre" FighterSqn celebrates...FAF 1/3 "Navarre" FighterSquadron held a double celebrationon June 24, 2005 at FAF Nancy-Ochey with the 90th anniversary of"Escadrille SPA 62", together with50,000 flight hours by 1/3"Navarre" Fighter Squadron on theMirage 2000D.

Indian AF receives moreMirage 2000H/THs

The first six Mirage 2000H/THsout of a follow-on order for 10have been formally accepted bythe Indian Air Force in Mérignacon December 29, 2004. They wereimmediatelyferried toIAF Gwaliorand landedthere onJanuary 4,2005.

The UAE AF & AD Air Warfare Center

General presentation of the Air Warfare Center French Air Force dispatchesMirage 2000-5s to Al DhafraA first in the Middle East

The UAE Air Warfare Center was the very firsttactical center to be set up in the Middle East. Ithas been created and developed by the UnitedArab Emirates Air Force to conceive and tooperationally evaluate its own tactics in thewake of the Mirage 2000-9 and F-16 Block60procurement. The Mirage 2000-9 is an extremelycapable multi-role fighter aircraft, designed anddeveloped to UAE Air Force requirements withspecific capabilities in terms of air-to-surfaceguided armament, data link and electronic warfare.The purpose of the Al Dhafra AWC is similarto the other two existing tactical centers, i.e."Red Flag" in Nellis (USA) and "TLP" (TacticalLeadership Program) in Florennes (Belgium).The main objectives are to raise the interoperabilityand the combat effectiveness of the participatingair forces by developing pilot leadership skills.This is achieved by commanding, planning andexecuting demanding air exercises using realisticscenarios within a tactical trainingenvironment.

The value of meeting,flying and fightingThe first AWC course took place in January 2004with three participating nations. The AWC hasjust run the 4th course in April 2005, involvingair forces of the UAE, the US, the UK, Qatar,France and Saudi Arabia. The UAE AF&AD flewwith or against F-15Es, F-15Ss, Mirage 2000-5sand Tornados.All participating aircraft were fitted with an ACMI(Air Combat Manoeuvre Instrumentation) podwhich provided the flight parameters necessaryfor real time or post mission tactical debriefing.This would develop into tactics discussions andexchanges with experienced pilots organised byAWC staff.As an experienced fighter pilot myself, I cancertify the value of meeting, flying and fighting insuch an environment!

Lt Col Dominique Perrier (French Air Force)

FAF Flight Leader Cpt Verrecktreports from Al Dhafra, UAE:Six FAF Mirage 2000-5s landed at Al Dhafra airbase in the United Arab Emirates in the morningof 30 March 2005, marking the start point of thesecond deployment of the French Air Force to theUAE Air Warfare Center (AWC).

The 65-men detachment from FAF 2/2 FighterSqn. "Côte d'Or" included 16 fighter pilots whowere to take part in the month-long "AWC2005-1" exercise. AWC 2005-1 was the 2005edition of the yearly training event staged by theAl Dhafra AWC, the first center of excellence inair warfare to be established in the region by theUAE AF&AD in 2000. The purpose of the exercisewas to train package commanders in COMAOoperations in a multinational setting, in a fashionsimilar to NATO TLP (Tactical Leadership Program)sessions.

The Al Dhafra Air Warfare Center has specificfeatures which set it apart from other ranges inthe US or in Europe. First of all, several launches

are programmed every day, allowing morepilots to train with or against foreign aircraft ina given time frame. Airspace available here fortraining is three times the size of the Red Flagzone at Nellis, with minimal manoeuvre and EWrestrictions. Combat tactics that would otherwisebe hampered by the narrow airspace available onmost other ranges or by peacetime restrictionscan be run to their full potential. The Al DhafraAWC also features a latest generation rangeinstrumentation and debriefing assets whichallow precision real-time flight monitoring - anessential flight safety feature - and accuratescoring validation.

Air forces taking part in AWC sessions includeall GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) countries,plus France, Britain and the US - an excellentopportunity to practice interoperability in theperspective of forthcoming coalition operations.

Lessons learned on the French side have beenextremely positive. The dispatch rate of theMirage 2000-5 has been excellent throughoutthe exercise, at an average of 16 sorties a day. A

variety of missions have been flown from DBFM(Dissimilar Basic Fighter Manoeuvre) to 30-strongflights in a wide range of scenarios. The UAEAF&AD have really been out of their way to giveus the most cordial welcome. Warm relations havebeen established among the participants and weare now leaving the UAE with the feeling thatthe strong relationship that we have built duringAWC 2005-1 will make future sessions even moreprofitable. The AWC staff have done a great joband they deserve recognition for their efforts toestablish the Al Dhafra Air Warfare Center to thehighest possible standard in the world.

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The UAE AF & AD Air Warfare Center

One of the ways of carrying out these objectivesis by running the Advanced Tactical LeadershipCourse (ATLC). This course brings togethercoalition air forces for 4 weeks of tactical flying,where the AWC staff concentrate on tacticalleadership training. On the ATLC, air leadershipis taught through a series of realistic tacticalscenarios where aircrew from each nation isgiven the opportunity to lead a combined airoperations (COMAO) “package” in order tocarry out tactical air objectives. Modern warfaredemands high quality training and no expensehas been spared to give all the students themost modern and up to date facilities that arenecessary to carry out their tasks. The ATLC isnot just a test of aircrew skill. It allows studentsfrom coalition nations to get to know eachothers background and cultures, so that deepfriendships and understanding are achieved.In future coalition warfare, interoperability willbe a key success factor in combined and jointoperations and the AWC – by fostering thisimportant objective – will be carrying out a majorpart in creating successful battle outcomes.

The AWC is very similar in philosophy andoutlook to other air force tactical centres, like theUSAF Red Flag organization in Nellis, USA andthe NATO Tactical Leadership Programme (TLP)in Florennes, Europe. All of these centres offercertain advantages over others. The advantagesof the AWC-run exercises, of which ATLC is one,are many. The main advantages are the airspace,range facilities and good weather. The airspaceoffered to ATLC students is larger in area andvolume than any other in the world and muchless restricted in terms of other users, such ascivil air traffic. The range area offered by UAEairspace is twice the size of Nellis and veryunrestricted compared to the congested airspaceof Europe offered by TLP. In addition, the AWCoffers a fully automated ACMI range (Air CombatManouevring Instrumentation) where aircraftcan be tracked real-time and “kill removed”(a methodology of removing an aircraft fromthe COMAO that is judged to be “shot down”)by Range Training Officers (RTO's) who act asexercise referees. This ACMI facility, combinedwith the large unrestricted airspace, offers veryrealistic training that is not equaled anywhere inthe world. Finally, the weather is good enoughthat hardly any missions are cancelled. To date,only one mission in 4 courses has been cancelleddue to bad weather. Compare this with TLPin Europe where it is not unusual to have upto 50% of missions cancelled due to weatherrestrictions.

Different participants are invited to attend theAWC's ATLC. In the first 2 courses, participantswere kept to just the UAE AFAD, United States AirForce (USAF) and the UK's Royal Air Force (RAF)to validate our tactical leadership concepts. The3rd course consisted of the UAE AFAD, French AirForce (FAF), USAF, RAF and Qatar. On the recent4th course, participants included UAE AFAD, FAF,

RAF, USAF and Royal Saudi Air Force (RSAF).However, we are now expanding our invitationsto include other GCC and friendly states. Inthe near future, we hope to include Italy andGermany on our ATLC programme.

Management of the AWC is shared. TheCommandant of the AWC is a UAE instructor pilot(IP), who has overall control of the AWC. He hascommand of a number of branches below himthat make up the managenet team of the AWC.The Deputy Comdt is a USAF Lt. Col IP who actsas Head of Flying Branch. Other managementappointments, all at Llt Col level, include a Head

of Academics, Head of Concepts and Doctrine,Head of Simulation and Head of Command &Control. These are rotational posts that can beheld by any IP from a participating nation for anominated period of time. The ATLC is primarily aFlying Branch run activity, overseen by the Comdt,but where all other branches support the flyingactivities within their own specializations. AllAWC staff are highly experienced in their fieldsand use their own specialist expertise to createan effective management team.

What are the differentparticipants and howdo you manage theorganization?

What are the advantagesof the AWC compared toexisting equivalent tacticalcenters?

Although the AWC ATLC courses have beenmore successful than anyone ever imagined,there is always room for improvement in everyaspect of air warfare training and the ATLC is noexception. All the AWC facilities are constantlybeing upgraded but the main challenge will beto create the most appropriate tactical scenariosfor the future air war, not the ones that replicatethe past. If future air leaders are to be effective,they must be given tactical problems that requireinnovative and imaginative solutions to overcomethem. There are many ways of doing this. Anexample is to develop realistic tactical scenariosthat include Time Sensitive Targeting (TST), wherepriority enemy targets “pop up” unexpectedly buthave to be dealt with very quickly and with themost appropriate weapons available. Another

example is to have scenarios that apply offensiveairpower to ground operations. Future airpowerwill have to respond quickly to fast moving,joint force activities where ground and maritimeforces will require the full weight and advantageof air power in order to carry out their battleplans. The future of warfare is “jointness”, and airforces must be ready to respond to the difficultand exacting challenges that joint warfare hasto offer. Integration with other armed forces isessential. This trend will need large investment,intellectually and financially, by all air forces;but the AWC is willing to respond and the UAEAFAD has never failed to invest in good facilities.The outlook for improving ATLC training into afirst-class international global facility is, therefore,extremely good.

What are the AWCchallenges for the future?

Interview ofLt Col Khaled OmarSaleh Ba Hussein,Commander of the

Air Warfare center.

In one year, the AWChas run 3 successfulcourses, what are themain objectives of the AirWarfare Center?The main objectives of the AWC are:

improve tactical capabilitiesdevelop tactics, techniques and proceduresimprove air combat doctrineimprove interoperability among

coalition air forces

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Commander of theAir Warfare Center.

Flying with other aircraft types is always thrilling.To name a few of such opportunities, DissimilarAircraft Combat Training, Tactical Leadershipprogram, multi nation exercise, squadronexchanges… This is THE occasion to compare withthe other guys and their machines in each trainingaspect: flying with them or fighting against them!The truth is it indeed exiting and exhilarating,everybody will try his best to give the best image ofhis squadron/aircraft type/country.

There are however several traps in such "mixedbunch Ops".

Even if the "Domestics" of the briefing suppose thatproblems are dealt with by pair of same a/c, prepareyourself to be able to lead back a sick bird of theother kind!

Speak with the other jockeys, ask them what are theparticularities of their a/c and among other things:

General consequences of main failures,(hydraulics, electric, fuel, oxygen/pressurization)

Main engine failures, back up regulationcharacteristics,

Max range/Max Endurance Mach or airspeed,Handling checks,

Usual or particular airspeed values for U/Cextension,

Straight in approach parameters or key points(eventually, same for No Flaps ),

Hook or drag chute use,A/c and engine limitations,Review of emergency radio calls,NORDO procedures and associated hand

signals convention.

Briefs as thoroughly as possible what would be theoverall recovery plan, take time to have a quickcockpit layout presentation of each a/c to have abetter understanding of the environment of everyone.

Once airborne don't push it too far, for them as wellas for yourself. If you have to face an emergency,there is no magic recipe: good common sense anda/c knowledge should prevail and keep you outof trouble, but you have to think and talk about ittogether before flying.

And remember, this is to train together, to come outof it stronger and more efficient, not to answer anInvestigation Board…

G. Dailloux (Dassault Aviation Flight Safety V.P.)

Top leveltechnologyfor unparalleledoperationalperformance

In April 2003, the firstMirage 2000-9 aircraftarrived in Abu Dhabifrom the Mérignac airbase, near Bordeaux insouthwest France. Thearrival of these aircraft,with their latest-generation electronicequipment and systemsfor both flight controland mission functions,marked the start ofa new era in combataviation for the UnitedArab Emirates Air Force& Air Defence (AF&AD).

The onboard equipment and thenavigation and attack system wasdefined in close collaborationwith the UAE teams, who wereintegrated with the developmentteams of the French contractors,particularly Thales, DassaultAviation and Snecma.The result of thispartnership is anaircraft perfectlytailored to thecustomer’s specificoperationalrequirements. At thecore of the navigationand attack system is theModular Data ProcessingUnit (MDPU). Developedby Thales and DassaultAviation, the MDPUperforms mission computer andsymbol generation functionsand manages the navigation andattack system, the cockpit display

system and all other operationalfunctions. Millions of lines ofsoftware code were developedfor the unit, which authorisesmultiple reconfigurations andsimultaneous implementationof various navigation and attack

system functions, givingthe pilot perfect control over theentire system. To date, the MDPUhas logged more than 8,500 flighthours on the Mirage 2000-9.

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MDPU (Modular Data Processing Unit)

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Flight safety corner

Mixed safetyfor mixed bunch training ?

Top level technol ogyfor unparalleled operational performance

A key component of the aircraft’snavigation and attack system, theRDY-2 multi-function fire controlradar is derived from Thales’ RDYradar, which has demonstrated itsoperational superiority on FrenchMirage 2000-5s. Offering furtherenhancements in air-to-air, air-to-ground and air-to-surface modes,the RDY-2 can simultaneouslydetect and track multiple targets,making a decisive contribution tothe aircraft’s combat effectiveness. The Mirage 2000-9’s electronicwarfare system is entirelyunique, developed on thebasis of detailed requirementsexpressed by the AF&AD workingin close collaboration withThales, Elettronica and MBDA.The electronic warfare systemcontribute to aircraft self-protection, incorporating highlysensitive equipment to performjamming and deception functions.

It also contributes to tacticalsituation awareness, locatingthreats with high precision andgathering information about them.The system is fully integrated withaircraft systems, including thehuman-machine interface, whichwas also defined collaborativelywith the AF&AD.And high-level electromagneticintegration enables the aircraft’ssensors to operate simultaneously,even during active self-protectionsequences.

The customer also requiredextremely high levels of performancefrom the aircraft's optronicequipment: the Mirage 2000-9 isequipped with the Shehab laserdesignation pod and the Naharnavigation FLIR. The Shehab podenables deployment of all types ofprecision-guided weapons, eitheralone or as part of collaborativeengagements, at any time of day ornight and in the harshest weatherconditions. With its very high-

resolution camera,

this podcan identifyall types of targetswell beyond the range of enemyprecision-guided weapons, furtherenhancing aircraft security andsurvivability. The Nahar navigation FLIR is housedin the pylon that attaches the Shehabpod to the aircraft and can be usedwith or without the pod installed.Incorporating a high-resolutioncamera, Nahar is designed foruse in all atmospheric conditions,particularly hot and humid climates.It provides a high-resolution infraredimage of the area forward of theaircraft. This image is projected ontothe pilot’s head-up display or anothercockpit display to support the pilotduring all mission phases, includingtakeoff and landing, flight, low-levelnavigation and strikes on ground orsurface targets. The Emirate’s Mirage aircraft

incorporate the latest generationsof communication, navigation,identification (CNI) equipmentfrom Thales.

The Thomrad V/UHF radio systemprovides secure voice and datacommunications between aircraft,C2 centres and any other platformsequipped with Thomrad radiosvia the ground/air communicationsystem supplied by Thales. The LU2tactical datalink enables operationscentres to provide tactical situationawareness, command and control,electronic warfare and other services.For radionavigation, the Mirage2000-9 is equipped with the AHV-9 radio altimeter, Tacan NC 12Btransceiver and TLS 2020 VOR/ILSreceiver. Lastly, the SC10D transponderand TSA 2535 interrogator providethe vital IFF function. For flightcontrol, the aircraft incorporatessophisticated equipment andsystems that contribute to missionsuccess by relieving the pilot ofmany of the purely flight-orientedsafety and security constraints.

The Mirage 2000-9’s ergonomic andattractive human-machine interfacemakes it a very pleasant aircraft to fly.The glass cockpit features Thales’liquid crystal display systems, whichmake it quick and easy to read flight-and mission-critical information.Thales is supplying the navigationsystems, including the Totem 3000inertial navigation system, as well asautopilot systems, instrumentationand various types of measurementequipment. It is also involved in electrical powergeneration for the aircraft and issupplying the DDVR (Digital Dataand Video Recorder) for post-missionanalysis, the Microspees fatiguerecorder and the ESPAR NG flightrecorder. Status today: The new aircraft havebeen delivered, and retrofitting ofexisting aircraft is continuing apace(almost half of these have alreadybeen upgraded). To date, more than9,000 operational flight hours havebeen logged with the first standard.Qualification of the second standard,to provide the full range of operationalcapabilities required, is in progress.

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Shehab laser designation pod

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A new control system for the M53-P2

This engine is a proven performer, withvarious versions logging over one millionflight-hours on all aircraft in the Mirage2000 family. The M53-P2 delivers upto 21,500 lb of thrust with afterburner,and its digital control system meansexceptionally carefree handling, plus a verylarge flight envelope. It has already takenpart in a number of missions, where it wasable to show its operational performancecapabilities, coupled with high dispatchreliability and low maintenance cost. Some639 M53-P2 engines are currently inservice.

The M53-P2 undergoes continuousimprovements as well, with the mostrecent concerning its control system. Threesignificant modifications were made,concerning the automatic managementof nozzle pump failure; the autothrottle(which provides automatic control ofengine speed to maintain the speedchosen by the pilot); and the integratedlife potential computer, now included inthe FADEC (full authority digital enginecontrol).

All M53-P2 engines manufactured inthe last four years incorporate thesemodifications, and they can be activated ornot, depending on the customer.

The latest engines built by Snecma wereintended for the Mirage 2000-5 (10 for

India and 15 for Greece) and the Mirage2000-9 (32 for the United Arab Emirates).Only the UAE requested activation of theautothrottle, while the integrated lifepotential computer will be integrated inthe Mirage 2000-5s being delivered tothe Greek air force. All three countries willbe making use of the nozzle pump failuremanagement function.

The life potential computer, previouslylocated with the aircraft’s other computers,is now integrated on the engine itself,in the FADEC. Used to calculate wear toengine parts, this unit acquires data inflight, for subsequent storage.

This change was made followingmodifications by Dassault Aviation to theMirage 2000 navigation/attack system:the computers located along the aircraft’s“backbone”, including the life potentialcomputer, have been replaced by a singlecomputer based on electronic boards.Following this modification, Snecma alsochanged the location of its life potentialcomputer by integrating it in the FADEC.

This changeover offers several benefits,including simplified data management andmaintenance, as well as simplifying theaircraft’s wiring and overall complexity.

Two of the latest

multirole fighters

from Dassault,

the Mirage 2000-5

and the Mirage 2000-9,

are powered by the

Snecma M53-P2.

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Letters

14www.dassault-aviation.com www.thales-airbornesystems.com

I am keen on fighter aircraft, especiallythe Mirage 2000. I was very pleased todiscover your "ENGAGE!" publication,but, as a pity, I have only got thenumber 3 and 4. Would it be possiblefor you to send me the pdf version ofnumber 1 and 2 ?

A. Joffre, France.

■You can have a look and copy all thepdf versions of 'ENGAGE!" on InternetDassault Aviation site. For information,DVD's were only joint to issues number3 and 4. Issue number 1 was just aninformation letter and issue number 2came out without DVD, as well as thisissue number 5 – Editor.

Would it be possible to meet "ENGAGE!"team during Paris Le Bourget 2005 AirShow. I would be very pleased toexchange some talks about fighteraircraft, especially concerning theMirage 2000.

■Paris Le Bourget 2005 Air Show willbe taking place between 13th and 19thof June, 2005, at Paris Le Bourgetexhibition airfield. "ENGAGE!" team willbe there and will be very pleased tomeet some of the many ENGAGE!readers. To meet the team, justask for them at Dassault Aviation booth.– Editor.

Would you kindly accept my request forsubscription to your mailing list for theMirage 2000 publication "ENGAGE!"

G.G. Divecha, India.

First of all, I would like to give you thethanks for the detail that you had havewith myself, sending me the 3 Engageissues, there are wonderful includingthe DVDS, which I like very much.

I want to receive the next issues thatyou are going to publish, for the rest ofmy life, because for me Mirage 2000Aircrafts are the best in the world.

Also I would like to know if its possiblefor yourself, to send me all theinformation about Mirage 2000, likephotos, videos of training and combatsmissions, acrobaces, etc.

Also I would like to have posters, theSquadrons patches, because I also liketo collect that kind of Items.

I would like have the Best of Mirage2000, because I repeat you, for myselfMirage 2000 is the best.

J.C.M. Belgrano, Peru.

I am writing from Peru to tell you that Iam a big aviation enthusiast. I am a bigfan, especially of Mirage 2000, so muchso that I recently bought a Mirage 2000cap from the Dassault store on theInternet. I just received the cap throughmy sister who lives in Madrid, it is quitespectacular. What I would like to knowis how I can acquire some DVD's on theFrench Air Force Mirages as well asPeruvian Mirages. Also, I would like toknow if any patches with the Dassaultlogo exist and how do I go about to get it.

G.L. Montoya, Peru.

■ ENGAGE! can be sent to you free ofcharge. Please, just let us know yourdelivery address.

Today, Mirage 2000 patches withDassault logo are only dedicated to AirForces flying our combat aircraft, sothat you could maybe get one throughPeruvian Air Force. Otherwise, the onlyway to order some souvenirs is throughthe Internet with the address given onthe last page of ENGAGE! or duringspecific events such as Air Shows oraeronautical meetings. – Editor.

Send your letters to :Hervé Hamon, Dassault Aviation, (DGI), 78, quai Marcel Dassault, 92552 Saint-Cloud, Cedex 300 – France, Fax: (+33) 1 47 11 61 10

or at: engage@dassault-aviation.fr

www.snecma.com

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