Astrac modernises Morocco's Mirages



Included in rhe Astrac modernisation package of the Royal Moroccan Air
Force for the Mirage F1 is the new AASM precision guided stand-off
bomb, as well as Corail flare launcher and Phimat chaff dispenser
(all seen here in place). All four AASM 250 kg rocket-bombs can be
launched at different targets well away from the ennemy's medium and
short ranges air defences

By Jean-Michel Guhl
in Paris, France

The 2007 Paris Air Show gave Astrac — the joint-venture created in
November 2005, at the French Ministry of Defence's request, by Thales
and Sagem Défense Sécurité (SAFRAN) — an opportunity to show what the
new company is all about: high-level all-round upgrade refurbishing of
third generation fighters

Capitalizing on the current Royal Air Forces of Morocco’s program for
the modernisation of its entire Mirage F1 fleet (a total of 27
remaining Mirage F1CH and EH), Astrac exhibited a complete offer,
including two central computers, SIGMA-type GPS-hybrid
navigation systems (both developed by Sagem Défense Sécurité), MICA EM
and IR air-to-air missiles provided by MBDA. For this retrofitting solution, Thales is contributing with a RDY3
multi-function radar, a Damocles day/night laser designation pod, a PAJ
FA type pod for electronic warfare self-protection and a radar Warning
Receiver (RWR). The different units interface via a 1553 bus

For the air-to-air mission, the multi-function/multi-target radar can
be used to fire MICA and Magic 2 missiles. To meet air-to-ground
mission requirements, Astrac offers Sagem Défense Sécurité’s standoff
AASM air-to-ground modular weapon supported by a mission preparation
system by Sagem Défense Sécurité and a debriefing systems from Thales.
The weapon can be complemented by laser guided weapons using the
Damocles laser designation pod

Astrac offer, which is compatible with NVGs, also includes a 'zero-zero' ejection seat and a latest-generation glass cockpit MMI with Hands on Thottle and Shift (HOTAS) controls. As an option, the system can also be complemented by a system for deploying anti-ship weapons, such as MBDA’s Exocet AM 39

Ideal for air forces facing strong budget constraints, the Astrac
modernising solution offers added value to a fighter-bomber like the
Mirage F1, an aircraft which still in operational with a dozen air arms
where it provides good service thanks to the reliability of its single
Snecma Atar 9K50 turbojet

Sold in about 740 copies to eleven different countries, the Mirage F1
is still in operational service today in Ecuador, France, Jordan,
Libya, Spain and Morocco. A batch of those once belonging to South
Africa (Mirage F1AZ) have meanwhile been sold to Gabon, about a dozen
of Iraq's Mirage F1EQs 'given' by Saddam Hussein to Iran while those of
Kuwait are stored and those of Qatar sold to Spain. Greece's Elleniki
Polemiki Aeroporia's last Mirage F1s were retired two years ago and
replaced by Mirage 2000-5 Mk.2s, the final batch of which is now being
delivered by Dassault-Aviation, thus marking the end of production for
the Mirage 2000 too

So far, only the Mirage F1s of the Spanish Air Force have been fully
modernised by Thales and EADS to an extent comparable with the Astrac
endeavour. While about a dozen Libyan Air Force Mirage F1s are due to
be modernised by Dassault-Aviation. Therefore, the modernisation market
for the Mirage F1 is still very open

One of Astrac's first modernisation programme now in full swing is the Royal Moroccan Air Force Mirage F1 contract