Hobby Master 1/72 Air Power Series
HA1618Mirage 2000-5EG No.555, Mira 331, Hellenic Air Force, 2016
General Background
The Mirage 2000-5 is the second generation of the Mirage 2000. The French Armée de l’Air was replacing the older version of the Mirage 2000 and the manufacturer had hoped to sell the newer version to them but they had already committed to the Rafale. The manufacturer needed a sale to the ADA to help promote export sales so as a stopgap measure until the Rafale was delivered the ADA upgraded 37 of their early Mirage 2000’s to Dash 5 standards. The Dash 5 had new RDY radar, a new APSI (Advanced Pilot-System Interface) cockpit, MICA missiles and the ICMS Mk. 2 (integrated countermeasures system). The Dash 5 is the first production fighter aircraft ever to be equipped with LCD displays. France, Greece, India, Qatar and Taiwan are equipped with the Dash 5 version of the Mirage 2000.
The Aircraft
The Hellenic Air Force Mira 331 was activated on April 18, 1988 as part of 114 Combat Wing located at Tanagra AB. The 331 was named “Theseus” after the ancient Greek hero of that name. On March 1, 2007 331 All Weather Squadron began to receive the new Mirage 2000 5 Mk III. The aircraft have an improved RDY-radar that can detect up to 24 targets at the same time, track 8 of them and give 4 of them a priority mode. These aircraft use the new MICA missiles which increases the strike range.
