chile Mirage M-5MA Elkan

Chilean_Thunder · June 8, 2023

Mirage M-5MA Elkan

Spoiler

In 1994, Chile purchased 25 Mirage 5 aircraft from Belgium, 15 of them corresponding to MirSIP Mirage 5MA, 5 MirSIP Mirage 5MD dual control, 4 non-modernized Mirage 5BR and one Mirage 5BD. The Mirage 5MA bought by Chile had many improvements implemented by S.A.B.CA. which were called MirSIP (Mirage System Improvement Programme) and when they were acquired by Chile they were renamed Mirage M-5MA "Elkan" for the single-seater version (Guardian in Mapudungun), among the improvements that these aircraft had were the integration of canard fins and vortex generators that decreased its takeoff run and improved its maneuvering performance at various angles of attack, improvement in its fuel loading system, going from one by gravity to a pressurized one, change of ejection seat to a Martin Baker Mk.10 and the integration of a navigation and attack suite, together with the redesign of its cockpit that integrated two MFDs, a larger HUD provided by Ferranti and HOTAS for the simplification of aircraft control. The heart of its navigation and attack system was based on the SAGEM UTR-90 processing equipment, the SAGEM ULISS 92 inertial navigation system (INS) and a Thomson-CSF TMV630 laser rangefinder. In 1996 they are shown to the press in Chile carrying the LGB Griffin (Laser Guided Bomb) and holding the DEFA 552 cannons and the Sidewinder AIM-9P missiles. Finally in 2006 they were decommissioned as they were replaced by the F-16.

Spoiler

Crew:
- 1
Armament:
- Primary: 30-mm cannons DEFA 552A with 125 rounds
- Secondary: Up to 8,800 lb of externally-held ordnance across five hardpoints encompassing: AIM-9P Sidewinder, rocket pods, conventional drop bombs, Griffin LGB, Snakeeye bombs, fuel drop tanks.
Dimensions:
- Lenght: 15.55 m
- Wingspan: 8.22 m
- Height: 4.50 m
- Wing area: 35.00 m²
- Empty weight: 6,600 kg
- Weight maximum take-off: 13,500 kg
Performance:
- Powerplant: 1x SNECMA Atar 09C
- Maximum speed: in altitude 2350 km/h, on sea level 1220 km/h
- Cruising speed: 956 km/h
- Service ceiling: normal 18000 m, with booster 23000 m
- Rate of climb: 3700 m/min
- Ferry range: 4000 km