The Mirage 2000 was developed by Dassault-Breguet for the Armee de l'Air as an alternative to the swing-wing Avion de Combat Futur. After the latter was cancelled in 1975 due to its growing cost and complexity, Dassault offered the Mirage 2000 as an alternative. Development of this aircraft would also give the company a competitor to the General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon, which had defeated the Dassault Mirage F1 in a contest for a new fighter for the air forces of Belgium, Denmark, Netherlands and Norway.

The prototype made its first flight on March 10th, 1978 with test pilot Jean Coreau at the controls. There were four single-seat prototypes, including the initial Mirage 2000 prototype. The first production example flew on November 20th, 1982 and the aircraft went into operational service in 1984. The first Mirage 2000 to go into service was the single-seat Mirage 2000C interceptor. Deliveries began in 1983. The first operational squadron was formed in 1984, the 50th anniversary of the French Air Force. A total of 124 Mirage-2000Cs were obtained by the AdA.

The first 37 Mirage 2000Cs delivered were fitted with the Thomson-CSF RDM (Radar Doppler Multifunction) and were powered by the SNECMA M53-5 turbofan engine. The 38th Mirage 2000C had an upgraded SNECMA M53-5 P2 turbofan engine. The Radar Doppler Impulse (RDI) built by Thales did not enter service until 1987.

Pictured here is a 1:72 scale replica of a Mirage 2000EGM multi-role fighter flown by the Hellenic Air Force 233, 331 Mira "Theseus", based at Volkel Air Base during 2002. Sold Out!

Dimensions:
Wingspan: 7-3/4-inches
Length: 5-inches

Release Date: March 2008

Historical Account: "Greek Tragedy" - During October 1996, a Turkish F-16 was shot down in a dogfight with a Greek Mirage 2000. The Mirage reportedly fired an R550 Magic 2 missile, shooting down a Turkish F-16D (serial 91-0023) over the Aegean Sea with the pilot killed in action. The co-pilot ejected and was later rescued by Turkish forces.

Turkey claimed the Turkish F-16 crashed during a training mission in what Ankara said was international air space north of the Greek island of Samos, close to the Turkish mainland. One of the pilots managed to eject and was rescued by Greek forces but his co-pilot, Captain Nail Erdogan, was killed.

Greece has refused to confirm the report officially. "The Defense Ministry has not confirmed such an incident," government spokesman Christos Protopappas said yesterday. "At the time, a sworn inquiry was ordered, on the basis of regulations governing such incidents, and a report was filed.

The shooting down of a Turkish aircraft was not confirmed. If the Turkish plane crashed because of a mechanical problem, this is something we do not know and can under no circumstances attribute to the Greek side," he said.