Mirage 2000E and BE

[ValAstur 1,294]

According to EESP (European Economic Stability Protocol) signed in the middle of 2012 in Brussels by the 27 partners of the EU, the countries with a high rate of debt (Greece, Italy, Spain, Portugal etc.) had to execute all measures necessary in order to reduce their debts. In article 12 "About the defense of the homeland", the countries of the EU constituted that all redundant units had to be dissolved and the equipment to be sold.

Furthermore, the armies of the affected countries had to change their "non-european" equipment for european equipment. Spain had therefore to sell their US fighterplanes and replace them by european ones. In exchange, the equipment will be cheaper than for standard customers from outside the EU.

 

The F-18Cs got sold back to the US. The mayor manufacturers of fighters in Europe were Dassault, Saab and the Eurofighter Corporation. The spanish air force decided to order the Mirage 2000 for the Ala 46, stationed on the Canary Islands. Two wings were equipped with the Mirage 2000-5F, renamed E (local designation: C-27) and one wing received the Mirage 2000B, renamed BE (local designation: CB-27).

 

Taking off...

 

Squadron Flight

 

Wing leader has taken off...

 

...while wingman still accelerates...

[+KnightWolf45 1,147]