- Yes
- No
Mirage M-5MA Elkan
History:
The history of these Chilean mirages begins many years before being acquired by FACH. Starting in 1967, S.A.B.C.A/SONACA built under license 63 Mirage 5BA, 16 Mirage 5BD and 27 Mirage 5BR aircraft (106 aircraft in total). When the construction of these mirages finished, the Mirage 5BAs were delivered to the Belgian air force. In 1984 they received an upgrade with the AN/ALQ-178(V)2 Rapport II electronic countermeasure system which included a RWR, a chaff and flare launcher and a radar jammer. Later, before the arrival of the F-16A to the BAF, they are withdrawn from service in 1989 and are stored at the Koksijde Air Base.
Mirage 5BA No. BA-37 of the Belgian air force
The MirSIP project (Mirage System Improvement Program)
In 1985 the Belgian air force was looking for a replacement for their mirage but at that time they did not have a large budget, for that reason SABCA presented a project to modernize the 63 operational mirages, calling the program MirSIP.
This project consisted of a series of structural modifications that decreased its takeoff run and improved its maneuvering performance at various angles of attack (Canards flaps, reinforced wing ribs), new wiring, new navigation and communication equipment (UHF, VHF, IFF, TACAN), liquid oxygen system, fuel loading system to pressure, improvement of equipment for the mission (CDU, a larger HUD provided by Ferranti , HDD, Sagem MAESTRO, INS, NAV/Attack system, HOTAS, FLIR, laser designator and ECR), redesign of its cockpit that integrated two MFDs, new Martin Baker Mk.10 ejection seat and other improvements. The heart of its navigation and attack system was based on the SAGEM UTR-90 processing equipment, the SAGEM ULISS 92 inertial navigation system (INS) and a Thomson-CSF TMV630 laser rangefinder.
However, in 1992 the project was aborted due to budget cuts and the number of aircraft to be modified was reduced to 20 units and finally to 10. Despite the prototype (BA 60), it was presented at Le Bourget in 1993, and gave the opportunity so that the chilean air force was interested in the project and financed the modifications to some extra mirages.
The different improvements of the Mirage MirSIP
Detail of the modernized cockpit
Service in the Chilean Air Force
In 1994, Chile purchased 25 Mirage 5 aircraft from Belgium, 15 of them corresponding to MirSIP Mirage 5MA, 5 MirSIP Mirage 5MD dual control, 4 non-modernized Mirage 5BR and one Mirage 5BD. The M-5MA aircraft were registered from 701 to 715 and the M-5MD from 716 to 720, while the 5BR from 721 to 724 and the 5BD with the number 725. When they were acquired by Chile they were renamed Mirage M-5MA “Elkan” for the single-seater version (Guardian in Mapudungun). Starting in 1995, the fleet approved the Griffin laser-guided bomb delivery system from the Israeli IAI, which allowed the use of Mk.82, Mk.83 and Mk.84 bombs, improving the effectiveness of the pilots of Aviation Group No. 8 in dropping bombs with a CEP of 8 meters. In 1996 they are shown to the press in Chile carrying the LGB Griffin (Laser Guided Bomb) and holding the DEFA 552 cannons and the Sidewinder AIM-9P missiles. Finally in 2006 they were decommissioned as they were replaced by the F-16. They are currently stored at the El Bosque air base. They can also be seen in the aeronautical museum of Chile.
Mirage M-5MA Elkan insignia, RWR antenna, ECM dispenser and laser designator
The Mirage MirSIP BA-62, with the insignia designed to commemorate the seal of the commercial pact between the Belgian Air Force and the Chilean Air Force.
Some images of the Mirage Elkan with its weapons
Specifications:
- Crew:
- 1
- Armament:
- Primary: 30-mm cannons DEFA 552A with 125 rounds
- Secondary: Up to 8,800 lb of externally-held ordnance across five hardpoints encompassing:
- Missiles: AIM-9P Sidewinder.
- Bombs: conventional drop bombs (Mk.82, Mk.83 and Mk.84 bombs), Griffin LGB, Snakeeye bombs, fuel drop tanks.
- Dimensions:
- Lenght: 15.55 m
- Wingspan: 8.22 m
- Height: 4.50 m
- Wing area: 35.00 m²
- Empty weight: 6,600 kg
- Weight maximum take-off: 13,500 kg
- Performance:
- Powerplant: 1x SNECMA Atar 09C
- Maximum speed: in altitude 2350 km/h, on sea level 1220 km/h
- Cruising speed: 956 km/h
- Service ceiling: normal 18000 m, with booster 23000 m
- Rate of climb: 3700 m/min
- Ferry range: 4000 km
Photos:
Sources:
- Amazon.com
- Elkan el nuevo caza para la Fuerza Aérea chilena - Noticias Defensa Ayer Noticia
- Chile pone a la venta aviones de combate Mirage M5M Elkan y M50 Pantera
- VAR.Mirage 5BA
- Dassault Mirage V Attack Aircraft / Fighter-Bomber Aircraft
- https://www.amazon.com/-/es/Julio-Arrospide/dp/B0B54Z1M83/ref=sr_1_3?qid=1693264358&refinements=p_27%3AJulio+Arróspide&s=books&sr=1-3&text=Julio+Arróspide
