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Dassault Mirage 2000-5Di/Ei Service History Fleet Images Fleet Information
France announced in 1992 that it would offer Dassault Mirage 2000-5 fighters to Taiwan. The number of aircraft considered had been rumored to be 120, but the deal was finalized as 60 aircraft (48 single-seat 2000-5Ei and 12 two-seat 2000-5Di) on November 17 of the same year. This marks the first ROCAF purchase of French fighters since the arrival 24 Dewoitine D.510C piston-engine monoplanes in 1937. The program was given the codename "Fei Lung" (Flying Dragon).

ROCAF also obtained 960 MICA medium-range and 480 Magic II short-range air-to-air missiles from Matra. The former provides the Mirage with the BVR capability needed for its role as front-line interceptor. A number of centerline twin gun pods with DEFA 554 cannons were also acquired and fitted on the two-seaters, as they do not have an internal gun armament. Other support equipment, such as auxiliary fuel tanks, helmets, and G-suits, have also been procured.

Service History

Badge of the 499th TFW 499th TFW Badge of the 41st TFG 41st TFG Badge of the 42nd TFG 42nd TFG Badge of the 48th TG 48th Training Group
The first batch of ROCAF Mirage 2000-5, consisting of five aircraft, arrived at Hualien Harbor on the east coast of Taiwan by sea on May 6, 1997. After being unloaded, they were towed to Hualien AB, where they were unpacked and checked, and then flown to Hsinchu AB. Subsequent deliveries also followed the same procedure. The last ROCAF Mirage 2000-5 was delivered in an official ceremony on November 26, 1998.

All Mirage 2000-5 are operated by the 499th TFW at Hsinchu. The first unit to conver to the type, the 41st TFS, was commissioned on December 1, 1997. Subsequently the 42nd TFS was commissioned on November 26, 1998. The 499th TFW achieved the IOC (Initial Operational Capability) status on May 10, 2001, and the 48th TFS was commissioned on the same day.

On November 1, 2004, the 41st and 42nd TFS were upgraded to the TFG status while the 48th TFS became the 48th Training Group, in the largest restructure undertaken by ROCAF since 1999. At the same time, the original 11th TFG went into history. Each of the new TFG/TG is commanded by a Colonel, but the number of aircraft assigned is not much different from that for a Squadron. Although their official English designation is Tactical Fighter Group, the Chinese designation literally means Operations Group.

Weapon Testing & Exercises

On May 8, 1998, a two-seat Di fired one MICA missile and successfully hit a target drone 67 km away. It was the first launch of the said missile outside France. The second MICA live-firing exercise took place off the east coast of Taiwan on March 29, 2000, in which 2051 fired a single MICA missile from its left inner pylon.

On July 21, 2004, two Mirage 2000-5 from the 2nd TFW landed on the wartime reserve runway located at the Jenteh section of Highway No. 1 as part of the annual Han Kuang No. 20 Exercise. Mirage 2000-5Di 2051, piloted by Maj. Wei-Kuang Chang and Lt. Col. Juei-Chi Duan, and 2054, piloted by Lt. Col. Bin-Fu Wu and Capt. Jien-Liang Chen, took off from their home base Hsinchu Air Base at 0540 hrs. 2051 landed on the highway at 0620 hrs, followed by 2054 at 0622 hrs. The two jets then taxied to the other end of the reserve runway to be refueled and re-armed with two Magic Air-to-air missiles, respectively. At 0712 hrs, 2051 took off again and 2054 followed one minute later. Both landed at Hsinchu at 0736 hrs.

2054 before landing 2054 before landing 2051 landing 2051 landing 2054 taxiing 2054 taxiing 2054 taking off 2054 taking off
(All photos by Jason Tu)

Fleet Images

 Mirage 2000-5Ei
Mirage 2000-5Ei 2001 2001 Mirage 2000-5Ei 2003 2003 Mirage 2000-5Ei 2004 2004 Mirage 2000-5Ei 2005 2005
Mirage 2000-5Ei 2006 2006 Mirage 2000-5Ei 2009 2009 Mirage 2000-5Ei 2011 2011 Mirage 2000-5Ei 2014 2014
Mirage 2000-5Ei 2015 2015 Mirage 2000-5Ei 2019 2019 Mirage 2000-5Ei 2020 2020 Mirage 2000-5Ei 2023 2023
Mirage 2000-5Ei 2024 2024 Mirage 2000-5Ei 2026 2026 Mirage 2000-5Ei 2027 2027 Mirage 2000-5Ei 2029 2029
Mirage 2000-5Ei 2030 2030 Mirage 2000-5Ei 2032 2032 Mirage 2000-5Ei 2037 2037 Mirage 2000-5Ei 2046 2046
Mirage 2000-5Ei 2048 2048
 Mirage 2000-5Di
Mirage 2000-5Di 2051 2051 Mirage 2000-5Di 2052 2052 Mirage 2000-5Di 2053 2053 Mirage 2000-5Di 2054 2054
Mirage 2000-5Di 2055 2055 Mirage 2000-5Di 2057 2057 Mirage 2000-5Di 2059 2059 Mirage 2000-5Di 2060 2060
Mirage 2000-5Di 2061 2061 Mirage 2000-5Di 2062 2062

Fleet Information

 Mirage 2000-5Ei

Tail No. Dassault C/N Remark
2001Ei01
2002Ei02
2003Ei03
2004Ei04
2005Ei05
2006Ei06
2007Ei07
2008Ei08
2009Ei09
2010Ei10
2011Ei11
2012Ei12
2013Ei13
2014Ei14
2015Ei15
2016Ei16
2017Ei17
2018Ei18
2019Ei19
2020Ei20
2021Ei21
2022Ei22
2023Ei23
2024Ei24

 

Tail No. Dassault C/N Remark
2025Ei25
2026Ei26
2027Ei27
2028Ei28
2029Ei29
2030Ei30
2031Ei31
2032Ei32
2033Ei33
2034Ei34
2035Ei35
2036Ei36w/o 12/15/99
2037Ei37
2038Ei38
2039Ei39
2040Ei40
2041Ei41
2042Ei42
2043Ei43
2044Ei44
2045Ei45
2046Ei46
2047Ei47
2048Ei48

 Mirage 2000-5Di

Tail No. Dassault C/N Remark
2051Di01
2052Di02
2053Di03w/o 10/15/99
2054Di04
2055Di05
2056Di06

 

Tail No. Dassault C/N Remark
2057Di07
2058Di08w/o 11/14/01
2059Di09
2060Di10
2061Di11
2062Di12

 Last update: 08/10/06 TaiwanAirPower > Air Force > Top