In December 2010 India and France finalized the upgrading of 50 Indian Air Force Mirage 2000 aircraft, under a Rs 9,640 crore (US$2.15 billion) program, expected to bring the two IAF squadrons equipped with Mirage 2000s up to date, with the introduction of new digital cockpit, enhanced weapons-carrying capability as part of the aircraft mid-life update.
The Mirage 2000 upgrade will be managed by Dassault, Thales and Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. (HAL). The first phase of the program will span over 40 month development phase, taking place in France, to be continued by serial conversions of 48 IAF aircraft at HAL facilities in Bangalore.
Another development conducted under Indo-French cooperation is the Kaveri engine, destined for India’s Tejas indigenous Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) built by HAL.
Related posts: Defense-Update Aero-India 2011 Preview
