At this year’s Dubai Airshow, the UAE announced that it plans to upgrade its Dassault Mirage 2000-9 and F-16 Block 60 fighters instead of buying replacements such as the Eurofighter, Gripen or Rafale.

First ordered in 1998, the UAE’s Mirage 2000-9 fleet includes 20 single seaters and 12 two-seaters. Earlier in 1983 the UAE ordered 36 Mirage 2000s, and these were later upgraded to the 2000-9 configuration.

The single-engine Mirage was Dassault’s first fly-by-wire aircraft and helped pave the way for development of not only the Rafale but also a family of fly-by-wire business jets.

The aircraft is powered by a SNECMA M53-P2 turbofan engine, capable of delivering 15,000 pounds of thrust or 21,000 pounds with afterburner.

Music: Cylinder Seven by Chris Zabriskie
http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Chris_Zabriskie/2014010103336111/Chri…