Pakistan Air Force Mirage modernization program "Project Rose"

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Mirage Jet

Project Rose was the extensive modernization program initiated by the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) with the aim of  installing new various upgrades such as avionics and electronics systems of its Mirage fighters jets (These are now classified as 3rd generation aircraft). The program mainly focused on modernization of avionics and on-board computer system of Mirage IIIE and the Mirage V which were supplied by Pakistani Margella Electronics (PME), French SAGEM and the Italian SELEX consortiums. Originally Conceived in 1992 by the PAF, the program actually started in 1995 which resulted in PAF's mirages upgradation from (2nd Generation) jets to (3rd Generation) having been additionally given the ability to fight beyond visual range and launch nuclear armed ballistic missiles which brought the Mirage onto new heights of operational importance. 
Pakistan Airforce

The Rose program can be classified as successful and saved PAF' a lot of financial capital which could now be utilized else where. More upgrades were of course sought to be implemented however the project was halted and later terminated due to increasing cost and complexity of further upgrading the Mirage jets.

Regardless the the program certainly extended the serviceability lives of the fighters substantially. The upgrades that were made before termination can be listed as

SAGEM Forward-Looking Infra-Red (FLIR) system
Hands on throttle and stick (HOTAS) controls
New electronic countermeasures (ECM) suite
Radar altimeter and a Sagem attack system
SAGEM navigation/attack avionics suite
FIAR Grifo M3 multi mode radar system
Counter measure dispensing system
New multi function displays (MFD)
New radar warning receiver (RWR)
New (HUD) Heads Up Display
Inertial navigation system
Inflight refueling probes
New GPS system



The Grifo M3 multi mode radar system now allowed the Mirage fighters to engage their adversaries at beyond visual range, which revolutionized these jets situational awareness and fighting range (As earlier they did not have BVR capability). Meanwhile the most basic countermeasure dispensing system relied heavily upon decoy flares and chaff to confuse enemy missiles and radar. Some jets were also equipped with in flight refueling probes of South African origin to allow them to undertake offensive operations more farther than limited aircraft range. 

PAF

Currently the PAF mirages serve as the primary deep strike bombers and speedy interceptor aircraft. The PAF is currently expecting for all of its modified Mirage fighter jets to be remain in the combat service for a few more years (At least 6 years), all of which will be replaced by JF-17 thunder multi role fighters (Block 3) at that point. 

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