Dassault Mirage 2000D: The French Angel of Death

[Sweepdown 147]

Hello and welcome to my 17th thread; this time, it covers the Dassault Mirage 2000D tactical bombing aircraft.

 

BRIEF DESCRIPTION

A conventional strike variant of the nuclear-capable Mirage 2000N, in turn being a variant of the Mirage 2000. Designed for long-range precision strikes with conventional weaponry, the Mirage 2000D can carry a bewildering array of smart munitions such as missiles and guided bombs, or good-old dumb rockets and bombs. At least 161 planes of the two types are made, 86 of those being Mirage 2000Ds.

 

HISTORY AND DESIGN

The 2000N was designed in the 1980s, based on the Mirage 2000B two-seat trainer variant,  to replace the old Mirage IVP nuclear-capable tactical bomber. The aircraft first flew on 3 February 1986, and an additional 74 were built up to 1993. The Mirage 2000D variant was developed later, due to potential delays in the Dassault Rafale fighter program and to complement SEPECAT Jaguar strike aircraft (who handled clear daylight attack duties) with a night/bad weather attack capability. This variant began development in 1988, with first flight in 1991 and up to 86 2000Ds built from 1993 to 2001.

The Mirage 2000D featured an NVG compatible cockpit with HOTAS controls, a partial glass cockpit with two screens for the pilot and three for the back, a modernized GPS navigation system suite, improved Antilope 50 terrain-following system, and updated ICMS countermeasures system including SERVAL RWR, Chamaleon jammer and Spirale CM dispensers.

 

The 2000D had its baptism of fire in the violence of former Yugoslavia, Afghanistan, Syria, Libya and French-intervened Mali and Chad. Ironically, the succeeding Rafale fighters often accompanied 2000Ds in their strike missions.

The 2000D can carry a massive variety of dumb/guided bombs/rockets, missiles (conventional ones; the nuclear ones France has are used on the 2000N), and can carry Magic/ MICA air-to-air missiles for self-defence. It has no sort of integral cannon armament, though it can carry CC630 gunpods with 600 ammo per pod.

 

IN WAR THUNDER

The plane won't be fully implementable until other 4th gen fighters are in the game; the reason for this is that the plane can carry a combination of two 30mm gunpods (total 1200 rounds) and two Magic AAMs if it were implemented in the game right now, which is more than enough to stomp all over the competition combined with it's huge speed of 2338 kph (at altitude), and it has RWRs+ radar so ambushing it is very difficult, if not outright impossible.

Nevertheless, it is a potential follow-up to the Mirage lineup, though I at least want to see the Mirage F1 first before any of the 2000 variants. Alternatively, this thing could just be an event vehicle when the Mirage 2000 makes it into the game as a tech tree follow up to the Mirage F1 series.

 

SPECIFICATIONS

 (direct from Wikipedia)

 

General characteristics

• Crew: 2
• Length: 14.55 m (47 ft 9 in)
• Wingspan: 9.13 m (29 ft 11 in)
• Height: 5.15 m (16 ft 11 in)
• Wing area: 41 m² (440 sq ft)
• Empty weight: 7,600 kg (16,755 lb)
• Gross weight: 10,680 kg (23,545 lb)
• Max takeoff weight: 17,000 kg (37,479 lb)
• Powerplant: 1 × SNECMA M53-P2 afterburning turbofan engine, 64 kN (14,000 lbf) thrust dry, 95.1 kN (21,400 lbf) with afterburner

Performance

• Maximum speed: 2,338 km/h (1,453 mph, 1,262 kn)
• Combat range: 1,480 km (920 mi, 800 nmi)
• Ferry range: 3,340 km (2,080 mi, 1,800 nmi)
• Service ceiling: 18,000 m (59,000 ft)
• Rate of climb: 285 m/s (56,100 ft/min)
• Wing loading: 410 kg/m² (84 lb/sq ft)
• Thrust/weight: *Propulsive efficiency: 0.91 (non dimensional)

Armament

• Hardpoints: 4× under-wing, 4× under fuselage, 1× centerline with provisions to carry combinations of:
  • Rockets:
    • Up to 4x Matra SNEB 68-mm 18-round rocket pods on the four underwing hardpoints
  • Missiles:
    • Air-to-air missiles:
      • Up to 4× R550 Magic air-to-air missiles for self-defence, normally 2 on the outboard underwing pylons
      • Up to 6× MICA air-to-air missiles for self-defence, normally 2 on the outboard underwing pylons
    • Air-to-surface missiles: – Mirage 2000N
      • 1× ASMP medium-range nuclear missile on the centerline pylon
    • Air-to-surface missiles: – Mirage 2000D
      • 1× Apache anti-runway cruise missile on the centerline pylon
      • 1× SCALP EG air-launched cruise missile on the centerline pylon
      • 2× AS-30L laser-guided missiles on the inboard underwing pylons
  • Bombs:
    • AASM 125, 250, 1000 Kg laser, ISN/GPS, IIR guided bombs. The lighter versions are carried in pairs on the centerline and inboard wing hardpoints and one under each of the four fuselage hardpoints
    • up to 10× GBU-12 227 Kg laser-guided bombs or GBU-49 227 Kg INS/GPS and laser guided bombs, in pairs on the centerline and inboard wing hardpoints and one under each of the four fuselage hardpoints
    • up to 3× GBU-16 454 Kg laser-guided bombs on the centerline and inboard wing hardpoints
    • up to 3× GBU-10 907 Kg laser-guided bombs on the centerline and inboard wing hardpoints
    • up to 3× GBU-24 907 Kg laser-guided bombs on the centerline and inboard wing hardpoints
    • up to 3× BGL-400 400 Kg laser-guided bombs on the centerline and inboard wing hardpoints
    • up to 3× BGL-1000 1000 Kg laser-guided bombs on the centerline and inboard wing hardpoints
  • Other:
    • ATLIS II laser/electro-optical targeting pod on the front-right fuselage hardpoint
    • Damoclès laser targeting pod on the front-right fuselage hardpoint
    • 1x centerline mounted 345-gallon drop tank 2x either 375, 440 or 530 gallon tanks for ferry flight/extended range/loitering time
    • up to 2× 30 mm CC630 gun pods with 600 rounds per pod, one on each inboard wing hardpoint

    • Avionics

    • Twin inertial navigation system
    • Antilope 5 terrain-following radar

 

IMAGES

The various Mirage 2000 planes next to each other. The 2000D is the middle one.

Mirage 2000D at the runway. Though I do not know what the hell those red-colored things are.

Mirage 2000D taking off.  Carrying another big thing on its wings- cruise missiles, maybe?

French Air Force Mirage 2000D on the runway. I dunno why they never sold 2000Ds to other nations.

 

SOURCES

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dassault_Mirage_2000N/2000D

http://www.military-today.com/aircraft/dassault_mirage_2000dn.htm

https://fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/ac/row/mirage-2000.htm

 

[Miki_Hoshii 2,449]

Open for discussion.

[Abaddon75 460]

One day this beauty will be there

[AspandaIV 376]

+1 after the Mirage IV at the bomber line

[division75 3]

un super avion pour la France

 

[MonkeyBussiness 1,228]

+1 but the MICA is part of an upgrade (it start in 2020 i think) so it's not compatible with the basic 2000D and it should be part of another suggestion

[SgtMajorProblem 56]

33 minutes ago, MonkeyBussiness said:

+1 but the MICA is part of an upgrade (it start in 2020 i think) so it's not compatible with the basic 2000D and it should be part of another suggestion

And to be honest I don't think the game is ready yet for such weapons.

[MonkeyBussiness 1,228]

1 minute ago, Thefck said:

And to be honest I don't think the game is ready yet for such weapons.

it's just a suggestion , we don't even have early all aspect missile , don't worry for those really advanced one , they won't come anytime soon

[MessInMines 327]

The big "red colored things" under the wings are simply fuel tanks.

+1 for the conventional strike variant of the Mirage 2000 family 

[Milocat 4,855]

+1, yes please.  Such a pretty plane too.

[WreckingAres283 4,262]

+1

[AVROVULCANXH558 349]

On 25/03/2021 at 19:38, Sweepdown said:

I dunno why they never sold 2000Ds to other nations.

Maybe it's because this type was a bomber variant? I'm not all too sure myself, but I think it's down to that reason. 

 

Definitely a +1 from me, the Mirage 2000 is my second favourite French jet, after the Super Etendard. Would definitely want to see this in game when more modern jets arrive.

[nxdefiant001 1,397]

 

From what i could read about the 2k-Ds they have CC422 pods (similar to the CC420 from the F1Bs)

Spoiler

 

CC630  is only for export Mirages (afaik only used on the central pylon by 2k-5Ds) (shame cause it looks funny as hell)

Spoiler

 

[Arakneo 856]

On 21/04/2021 at 18:26, nxdefiant001 said:

 

From what i could read about the 2k-Ds they have CC422 pods (similar to the CC420 from the F1Bs)

Hide contents

 

CC630  is only for export Mirages (afaik only used on the central pylon by 2k-5Ds) (shame cause it looks funny as hell)

Hide contents

 

Pog

[MonkeyBussiness 1,228]

On 21/04/2021 at 18:26, nxdefiant001 said:

From what i could read about the 2k-Ds they have CC422 pods (similar to the CC420 from the F1Bs)

what 30mm is it ? the same DEFA as on the Mirage III or a longer barrel ?

[nxdefiant001 1,397]

6 hours ago, MonkeyBussiness said:

what 30mm is it ? the same DEFA as on the Mirage III or a longer barrel ?

AFAIK same DEFA 553 (Mirage III had DEFA 552)

Edited April 25, 2021 by nxdefiant001

[Nicholas_Concu 2,634]

+1 Gotta lotta bombs. 

[SturmWerwolf 793]

+1 I love any interdictor or penetrator type attackers / bombers. 

[ChatBonk 5]

Beautiful plane and an iconic one too. Would love to see this monster in game and the C as well. +1

[Fireraid233 4,274]

+1

[Borotovas 4,500]

+1

[_Woe_ 661]

Since this would be only slight modification of the 2000c they are adding soon I hope they add the D variant.

 

Could hold off on the advanced air to air till more 4th gen are added for balance 

[_Ghost_of_Tokyo_ 36]

I think Mirage 2000D-R1 is missing a lot of GBUs, irl it was able to carry 10 GBU-12s

[_Ghost_of_Tokyo_ 36]

4 minutes ago, _R550_Magic_2_ said:

I think Mirage 2000D-R1 is missing a lot of GBUs, irl it was able to carry 10 GBU-12s

4 GBUs here (without targeting pod) 

[oom1992 649]

3 hours ago, _R550_Magic_2_ said:

I think Mirage 2000D-R1 is missing a lot of GBUs, irl it was able to carry 10 GBU-12s

 

3 hours ago, _R550_Magic_2_ said:

4 GBUs here (without targeting pod) 

Mirage 2000D-R1 missing 30mm DEFA 554 cannon pods ?