Mirage 2000

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The Indian Air Force (IAF) owns 49 Mirage 2000s, including 42 single-seaters and seven two-seaters, acquired in the '80s. In 2004, India approved buying ten more Mirage 2000Hs with enhanced avionics and an upgraded RDM 7 radar. Named "Vajra" (Sanskrit for Thunderbolt), the aircraft's fleet underwent a $2 billion upgrade in 2011 to reach Mirage 2000-5 Mk 2 standard, extending their lifespan by 20-25 years. During the Kargil conflict in 1999, Mirage 2000 squadrons showcased remarkable performance, performing 515 sorties and dropping 55,000 kg of ordnance. IAF also qualified Soviet-designed missiles like R-27 (AA-10 Alamo) AAM with the aircraft. In 2011, India approved a $3 billion upgrade for its entire Mirage 2000 fleet and over 400 MICA missiles; however, two trainer versions crashed in February and March 2012 during routine sorties.