Revised: February 1, 1999
Copyright © 1997-1999 by Juan Carlos Barroux R.
In 1968 the Force Aérienne Belge (FaéB) put an order for 88 Mirage 5B. They served with honor until retirement in September 1991 but not before participating in the peripheral actions of the Gulf War (standing guard in Turkey). But before that they received an ambitious modernisation program called MirSIP (Mirage System Improvement Program) in the hands of SABCA (Société Anonyme Belge de Construction Aéronautique). The MirSIP contract was for a total of US$ 100M but the aircrafts were to be sold afterwards since in the meantime the FaéB did not have enough funding to use them.
The program progressed normally and on December 28, 1992 the MirSIP prototype (BA060) performed its first flight uneventfully. It was to become FACh 760. Only 20 aircrafts were to be modified and waited for a buyer.
On February 1994 the FACh initiated the contacts to buy the 20 MirSIP (15 BA and 5 BD) and some 4 Mirage 5BR and 1 Mirage BD from the stocks of the FaéB. They were going to replace the Hawker Hunters in the Grupo 8.
Included in the contract were a large spares stock, a test bank for Atar engines, tooling, extensive documentation, technical support and pilot training (both in Belgium and Chile). The contract was signed in July 19, 1994 for US$ 100M in total and this is certainly a very good deal. Some sources report that this contract was for US$ 54M for the aircrafts (to be paid over 18 months) and US$ 1.5M for the training. The discrepancy may be because of the cost of the spares, tooling, Atar test bank, documentation and further modifications of the aircrafts.
The MirSIP program included the following modifications; a new zero-zero ejection seat (Martin Baker Mk ???), a new UHF-VHF, a new IFF, a WDNRS (Weapons Delivery Navigation Recce System) based on a 1553B databus, a new on-board computer (SAGEM UTR 90), a new Ferranti HUD (Heads Up Display), a new Laser Ranger Finder (Thomsom CSF TMV630), some structural reinforcements, changes in the cabling and oxygen piping, a Single Point Pressure refueling system, brand new canards and a new Loral ECM Rapport II (active/passive) system.
The WDNRS (Weapons Delivery Navigation Recce System) is based on the SAGEM Uliss 92 inertial/GPS navigation and attack computer connected to the Ferranti HUD with UFCP (Up Front Control Panel), the HOTAS (Hands On Stick and Throttle), the Honeywell radio altimeter and the Marconi CDU (Control Display Unit).
To this already large improvement set the Chileans (ENAER ???) added their own changes; a VOR/ILS/DHE system, a GPS (for navigation over the extended Chilean geography and over the water) and the removal of the TACAN (since Chile is not part of NATO). The wiring for the IAI Python and/or Shafrir missiles is also very likely to have been added to the planes. This new standard is now known as MirSIP+ or Elkán.
Initially it was not clear if the 5 non MirSIP modified Mirages will be used as sources of spare parts or upgraded to either the Elkán or Pantera standards. Due to their good state these aircrafts were actually pressed into service but it is not clear to which standard (Elkán or Pantera), if any, they are going to be upgraded. All of the BR Mirages had been retrofitted previously with the Loral Rapport II ECM system anyway.
The four unmodified Mirage 5BR are replacing the old Hawker Hunter FR.Mk. 71 that used to perform the recce role with Grupo 8. The fact that the same camera (Vinten 626/636) is used in both aircrafts obviously helped since the facilities for film processing and image assessment and analysis stayed the same. The lone Mirage 5BD is used as a conversion aircraft for the Mirage 5BR.
Given the Chilean operating environment it is to be expected that these aircrafts be repainted with a tactically more suitable camouflage as well as fitted with a refueling probe.
The FACh seems to be quite pleased with this deal and with the equipment of the aircrafts. SAGEM won recently a couple of contracts to upgrade the locally built A-36 Halcón with a nav/attack suite very similar to the one present in the Elkán.
Designation: Manufacturer: SABCA Crew: 1 Seats: Engine: x Engine Type: Engine Thrust: kN ( Kg force) Length: m Height: m Wing Span: m Wing Area: square meters Empty Weight: kg Max. Weight: kg Max. Speed at Sea Level: km/h Max. Speed at 36,000 ft: km/h Max. Cruising Speed: km/h Normal Cruising Speed: km/h Ceiling: Range on Internal Fuel: km Range with Max. Fuel: km Range with Max. Payload: km Combat Radius: km () Radar: EW: Avionics: Weapons: Notes: S/N C/N Unit Built Bought Disposition Notes 701 -- Grupo 8 -- --/July/94 -- (FaéB BA001) 702 -- Grupo 8 -- --/July/94 -- (FaéB BA004) 703 -- Grupo 8 -- --/July/94 -- (FaéB BA011) 704 -- Grupo 8 -- --/July/94 -- (FaéB BA023) 705 -- Grupo 8 -- --/July/94 -- (FaéB BA037) 706 -- Grupo 8 -- --/July/94 -- (FaéB BA039) 707 -- Grupo 8 -- --/July/94 -- (FaéB BA046) 708 -- Grupo 8 -- --/July/94 -- (FaéB BA048) 709 -- Grupo 8 -- --/July/94 -- (FaéB BA050) 710 -- Grupo 8 -- --/July/94 -- (FaéB BA052) 711 -- Grupo 8 -- --/July/94 -- (FaéB BA056) 712 -- Grupo 8 -- --/July/94 -- (FaéB BA057) 713 -- Grupo 8 -- --/July/94 -- (FaéB BA059) 714 -- Grupo 8 -- --/July/94 -- (FaéB BA060) 715 -- Grupo 8 -- --/July/94 -- (FaéB BA062)
Designation: Manufacturer: SABCA Crew: 1 Seats: Engine: x Engine Type: Engine Thrust: kN ( Kg force) Length: m Height: m Wing Span: m Wing Area: square meters Empty Weight: kg Max. Weight: kg Max. Speed at Sea Level: km/h Max. Speed at 36,000 ft: km/h Max. Cruising Speed: km/h Normal Cruising Speed: km/h Ceiling: Range on Internal Fuel: km Range with Max. Fuel: km Range with Max. Payload: km Combat Radius: km () Radar: EW: Avionics: Weapons: Notes: S/N C/N Unit Built Bought Disposition Notes 716 -- Grupo 8 -- --/July/94 -- (FaéB BD001) 717 -- Grupo 8 -- --/July/94 -- (FaéB BD003) 718 -- Grupo 8 -- --/July/94 -- (FaéB BD004) 719 -- Grupo 8 -- --/July/94 -- (FaéB BD014) 720 -- Grupo 8 -- --/July/94 -- (FaéB BD015)
Designation: Manufacturer: SABCA Crew: 1 Seats: Engine: x Engine Type: Engine Thrust: kN ( Kg force) Length: m Height: m Wing Span: m Wing Area: square meters Empty Weight: kg Max. Weight: kg Max. Speed at Sea Level: km/h Max. Speed at 36,000 ft: km/h Max. Cruising Speed: km/h Normal Cruising Speed: km/h Ceiling: Range on Internal Fuel: km Range with Max. Fuel: km Range with Max. Payload: km Combat Radius: km () Radar: EW: Avionics: Weapons: Notes: S/N C/N Unit Built Bought Disposition Notes 721 -- Grupo 8 -- --/July/94 -- (FaéB BR013) 722 -- Grupo 8 -- --/July/94 -- (FaéB BR025) 723 -- Grupo 8 -- --/July/94 -- (FaéB BR026) 724 -- Grupo 8 -- --/July/94 -- (FaéB BR027)
Designation: Manufacturer: SABCA Crew: 1 Seats: Engine: x Engine Type: Engine Thrust: kN ( Kg force) Length: m Height: m Wing Span: m Wing Area: square meters Empty Weight: kg Max. Weight: kg Max. Speed at Sea Level: km/h Max. Speed at 36,000 ft: km/h Max. Cruising Speed: km/h Normal Cruising Speed: km/h Ceiling: Range on Internal Fuel: km Range with Max. Fuel: km Range with Max. Payload: km Combat Radius: km () Radar: EW: Avionics: Weapons: Notes: S/N C/N Unit Built Bought Disposition Notes 725 -- Grupo 8 -- --/July/94 -- (FaéB BD012)
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Copyright © 1997-1999 by Juan Carlos Barroux R.
Juan Carlos Barroux R. - lamilitary@oocities.com