By Paul Iddon
In the 2020s, the UAE will replace its fleet of Mirage 2000-9 fighters with 80 state-of-the-art Rafale F4s, which it ordered from France last year. What will happen to the UAE Mirage 2000-9 then?
Abu Dhabi has at least 56 Mirages. It first acquired them in the 1980s and for some time now they have been significantly upgraded from their basic versions. In November 2019, the UAE announced a $ 489.5 million contract with Dassault to further upgrade the fighters, while the French company Thales undertook to “extend the life” of these aircraft. This deal may include Thales’ RDY-3 radar and the advanced Talios targeting fuselage used by Rafale, but this has not been confirmed.
In short, if the UAE transfers its Mirage in the coming years, the recipient will not acquire any “rusty” used fighters with outdated systems and weapons.
The upgraded versions of the Mirage 2000 will probably hit the skies by the 2030s. In January 2022, Dassault announced a new 14-year support contract for the French Mirage 2000 fleet – until they are permanently withdrawn.
“I would say that the power and size of the Mirage 2000 limit their degree of upgrade, compared to larger aircraft such as the Rafale or Typhoon,” said Justin Bronk, an aeronautical technology researcher at the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI). “However, the UAE Air Force has some of the most fully upgraded versions of 4th generation fighters, which it maintains in excellent condition.”
“This means that if the UAE Air Force decides to sell the remaining Mirage 2000-9, when it receives all the Rafale F4s it has ordered, its aircraft will be a very attractive proposition for any current Mirage 2000 pilot wishing to enhance his fleet, “he added.
Greece, Egypt and Morocco are the most likely recipients of these fighters. Let’s see why:
Hellas
Greece-UAE relations have been upgraded in recent years, with the two countries co-signing a defense agreement in 2020 and committing to strengthening their defense ties. This fact, as well as the fact that Athens already has a fleet of Mirage 2000-5 fighters, similar to the Emirates Mirage 2000-9, make Greece a potential candidate for their supply.
France is upgrading the Mirage 2000-5 MkII of the Hellenic Air Force to extend their lifespan, which suggests that Athens plans to continue using them in the near future.
Greece has signed a landmark agreement with France for the supply of 24 Rafale, which includes 12 used ones from the French Air Force, sending a signal that it could also buy the used Mirages of the Emirates.
The upgraded fleet of Mirage 2000-5 that Greece has, with the addition of the Mirage 2000-9 of the Emirates, would strengthen – and with the above – the smaller Rafale fleet of the Hellenic Air Force. In addition, the acquisition of the Mirage from the Emirates would allow Athens to either withdraw its older Mirage or sell it. One source, in fact, identified France and the Republic of Cyprus, which does not have fighter jets, as potential buyers.
BlueMelange military analysts in Turkey told me that the Hellenic Air Force could even procure UAE-made weapons.
They themselves predicted that the UAE would eventually transfer “the entire – very recently upgraded and deadly – fleet of Mirage 2000-9 to Greece either by credit or by subsidy”.
Egypt
Egypt was the first country to buy Mirage 2000 (ordered in 1981) and Rafale (ordered in 2015). Acquire a Mirage Squadron, which is undoubtedly much lower in capabilities than the upgraded and upgraded Mirage of the Emirates.
In 2019, Pakistan reportedly wanted to buy 36 of Egypt’s oldest Mirage V fighters. Islamabad traditionally operates its older Mirage through radical upgrades (such as Project ROSE in the 1990s), and also buys used aircraft from various countries.
Of course, in the case of Egypt, the supply of Mirage from the Emirates would not be compared to the “frugal” purchases of used Mirage by Pakistan. Instead, Cairo would get a much more advanced Mirage, a development that would allow it to withdraw the smaller and technologically inferior Mirage 2000s as well as any remaining Mirage Vs it still uses, satisfactorily framing the Rafale fleet it will acquire in the coming years.
Morocco
Morocco could also seize the opportunity and procure the Emirates Mirage. The Air Force has a history of renovating and upgrading its older fighters. For example, it still has French Mirage F-1 and American F-5 Tiger, which have been repaired, upgraded and modernized.
The Royal Moroccan Air Force currently has two dozen Mirage F-1 MF2000s and two dozen upgraded F-5s. These support the -moderate- fleet of two dozen advanced F-16 Block 52+ aircraft.
In March 2019, Rabat requested from the US 25 F-16 Block 72 aircraft, the most advanced version of the iconic aircraft.
This order would double the Moroccan F-16 fleet. In the future, Rabat could seize the opportunity to replace its F1 and F-5s with the Emirates’ 56 upgraded Mirage, as an intermediate solution until the country supplies F-35s or other 5th generation fighters.
Read also:
* Will Greece support the United Arab Emirates militarily against the Houthi rebels?
Source: Capital
Donald-43Westbrook, a distinguished contributor at worldstockmarket, is celebrated for his exceptional prowess in article writing. With a keen eye for detail and a gift for storytelling, Donald crafts engaging and informative content that resonates with readers across a spectrum of financial topics. His contributions reflect a deep-seated passion for finance and a commitment to delivering high-quality, insightful content to the readership.
