Mirage F1C-200
| This page is about the premium French jet fighter Mirage F1C-200. For other versions, see Mirage F1 (Family). |
Contents
Description
The Mirage F1C was a result of an experiment, when a smaller swept wing design of the Mirage outfitted with the latest and more powerful SNECMA Atar 9K-50 turbojet engine garnered the interest of Dassault engineers as a possible future replacement to the existing Mirage III and Mirage 5 fighters. Thus the Mirage F1 was born, and it went into service with France in 1974. The Mirage F1C-200 is very similar to the Mirage F1C, but it now has access to an air-refuelling probe also extended the length of the fuselage by 7 cm. Some Mirage F1C-200s also received a GPS in the 1990s. These F1C-200s were intended for long expeditionary missions and saw combat in places like Africa and the Middle East. During the early 1980s, Mirage F1C-200s provided air cover for SEPECAT Jaguars performing attack runs against the Libyan-backed insurgency in Chad. In the Middle East, the Iraqis took the refuelling probes from the Mirage F1C-200s they had acquired and fitted them on their MiG-23s.
It was introduced in Update "Apex Predators". The Mirage F1C-200 plays just like the Mirage F1C. It is fairly capable as a support fighter but it lacks the armament or the flight performance to go and fight in the frontline like the MiG-21bis or MiG-23s, it also lacks the BVR capabilities of the F-4J/S and F-14A. However you still have access to 2 x Matra Magic 2 missiles that are excellent and very hard to flare since they use IRCCM for better guidance to the target. The rest of the missiles are mediocre but have very good range and are exceptional at high altitudes were their range is increased thanks to the thinner atmosphere. You also can carry a good payload, being able to destroy a full base and retain good air to air performance.
General info
Flight performance
| Characteristics | Max speed (km/h at 12,000 m) |
Max altitude (metres) |
Turn time (seconds) |
Rate of climb (metres/second) |
Take-off run (metres) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AB | RB | AB | RB | AB | RB | |||
| Stock | 2,179 | 2,150 | 16000 | 28.2 | 28.7 | 126.5 | 120.0 | 750 |
| Upgraded | 2,279 | 2,228 | 26.3 | 27.0 | 186.4 | 155.0 | ||
Details
| Features | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Combat flaps | Take-off flaps | Landing flaps | Air brakes | Arrestor gear | Drogue chute |
| ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | X | ✓ |
| Limits | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wings (km/h) | Gear (km/h) | Flaps (km/h) | Max Static G | |||
| Combat | Take-off | Landing | + | - | ||
| 1,457 | 444 | 575 | 549 | 416 | ~11 | ~5 |
| Optimal velocities (km/h) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Ailerons | Rudder | Elevators | Radiator |
| < 650 | < 800 | < 900 | - |
Engine performance
| Engine | Aircraft mass | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine name | Number | Basic mass | Wing loading (full fuel) | ||||
| SNECMA Atar 9K-50 | 1 | 8,066 kg | 460 kg/m2 | ||||
| Engine characteristics | Mass with fuel (no weapons load) | Max Gross Weight | |||||
| Weight (each) | Type | 13m fuel | 20m fuel | 30m fuel | 44m fuel | ||
| 1,590 kg | Afterburning axial-flow turbojet | 9,088 kg | 9,611 kg | 10,384 kg | 11,473 kg | 14,214 kg | |
| Maximum engine thrust @ 0 m (RB/SB) | Thrust to weight ratio @ 0 m (WEP) | ||||||
| Condition | 100% | WEP | 13m fuel | 20m fuel | 30m fuel | 44m fuel | MGW |
| Stationary | 4,890 kgf | 6,801 kgf | 0.75 | 0.71 | 0.66 | 0.59 | 0.48 |
| Optimal | 5,917 kgf (1,200 - 1,400 km/h) |
9,875 kgf (1,200 km/h) |
1.09 | 1.03 | 0.95 | 0.86 | 0.69 |
Survivability and armour
The Mirage F1C-200 does not have any armour on the aircraft. Most contemporary cannons such as the NR-30, M61A1, Type 30-1 and GSh-30-1 on aircraft like the F-14s, F-16s and MiG-29s hitting the aircraft will usually result in critical damage if not an instant death, as is normal at this BR.
Modifications and economy
2 × 110 / 320 / 600 % 2 × 250 / 250 / 250 % | Flight performance | Survivability | Weaponry | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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Armaments
| Ballistic Computer | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CCIP (Guns) | CCIP (Rockets) | CCIP (Bombs) | CCRP (Bombs) | |
 |
|
|
| |
Offensive armament
The Mirage F1C-200 is armed with:
- A choice between two presets:
- 2 x 30 mm DEFA 553 cannons, belly-mounted (135 rpg = 270 total)
- 2 x 30 mm DEFA 553 cannons + 252 x countermeasures
Suspended armament
The Mirage F1C-200 can be outfitted with the following ordnance:
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 |  | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30 mm DEFA 553 cannons (180 rpg) | 1 | 1 | ||||||
| 250 kg SAMP Type 25 bombs | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |||
| 250 kg SAMP Type 25 200 bombs | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |||
| 400 kg SAMP Type 21 bombs | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |||
| 400 kg SAMP Type 21 200 bombs | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |||
| 500 lb SAMP Mk 82 bombs | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |||
| 1,000 lb SAMP Mk 83 bombs | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |||
| 2,000 lb SAMP Mk 84 bombs | 1 | 1 | 1 | |||||
| SNEB type 23 rockets | 18, 36 | 18, 36 | 18, 36 | 18, 36 | ||||
| Matra R530 missiles | 1 | 1 | 1 | |||||
| Matra R530E missiles | 1 | 1 | 1 | |||||
| Matra R550 Magic 1 missiles | 1 | 1 | ||||||
| Matra R550 Magic 2 missiles | 1 | 1 | ||||||
| Matra Super 530F missiles | 1 | 1 | ||||||
| Maximum permissible weight imbalance: 500 kg | ||||||||
| Default weapon presets | |
|---|---|
| |
Usage in battles
The best phrase that describes this plane would be aggressively mediocre. It lacks a strong suit and is essentially incapable of using its radar missiles in matches at a BR where almost everyone has access to some form of SARH or ARH air-to-air missiles. This may lead to some frustrations as the lack of radar missiles and middle-of-the-pack flight performance are going up against the best fighters the game has to offer, but the F1C will still pull through with some effort.
While grinding, the Mirage F1C-200 can be used in two ways. Either as a support fighter with subpar but still adequate air-to-air missiles, or as a dedicated base bomber with 2 Matra Magic 2 missiles for self-defense. For the support fighter role, it is recommended to take 2 x Matra Magic 2 missiles as well as 3 x Matra R530Es, with 2 x 2,000 lb bombs if you want some extra points. You may choose to fly to the right side of the map on certain maps like Battle for Vietnam where there is sufficient terrain cover that lets you sneak past enemies or launch a Magic 2 at them as you fly away at Mach speeds, or stick with your team flying left, bomb a base and then join the fight with your Magic 2s and guns.
Players coming from the Mirage IIIC and Mirage IIIE may be confused as to why the Matra R530s and Matra Super 530Fs are not recommended, as they offered a very handy front-aspect kill condition on both aircraft at 10.3. However, the problem is that the Mirage F1C-200 is at BR 11.3, not 10.3, and thus sees an entirely different subset of vehicles that usually all have chaff. The Mirages at a lower BR face aircraft which either lack a radar warning receiver to detect the incoming R530 or lack the flare capacity to carry chaff alongside flares, examples being aircraft like the Milan (in mixed battles), A-5Cs, J35As, J35XSs among many, many others. Contrary to those aircraft, the Mirage F1C-200 regularly encounters top-tier aircraft alongside other premium aircraft of its BR bracket, most of which carry superior radar missiles and/or have much better overall flight performance (the F-4J/F-4S Phantom IIS can carry 4-6 x AIM-7Fs, the MiG-23MLA/ML/MLD carry 2 x midrange R-24R radar-guided missiles and have a superior airframe for dogfighting, etc.) as well as having chaff readily available. People will often drop chaff when they are being locked - which against CW seeker missiles won't do much unless they're properly notching the radar - but as the Pulse seekers on the R530/Super 530F are susceptible to chaff they will instantly veer off course and miss their target. As such, it is generally a better idea to load 3 x R530Es - the IR variants of the R530s - which do not need a lock to fire and will generally be more reliable. It is to be noted however that the 530Es take a while to accelerate from launch, so keep this in mind when firing the missiles.
When using the Mirage F1C-200 as a base bomber, it is recommended to load 3 x 2,000 lb SAMP Mk 84 bombs alongside 2 x Matra Magic 2 air-to-air missiles, as the 3 x 2000 lb bombs can total a base and the Magic 2s being all aspect offer more firing solutions than the alternative Magic 1s equippable in the same slot. Ideal fuel loads are either 20 or 30 minutes, depending on map and preferred playstyle. If you wish to bring less fuel, get into a good position early and then switch to stage 1 afterburner (engaged on PC by scrolling the mouse wheel one tick over 100 or 101% to WEP, which provides additional thrust but does not consume as much fuel as full afterburner), 20 minutes should suffice - however, if you wish to use full afterburner more liberally or the match is an Enduring Confrontation (EC) match, 30 minutes will generally let you cruise around the battlefield with more freedom.
Magic 2s will be your bread and butter in the Mirage F1C-200 very often - despite the drag changes adversely impacting their range, when launched within a 1.5-2 km (0.93-1.24 mi) or so bubble while gaining on an enemy they will usually have enough energy to connect to the target. Any launch beyond this is undesirable unless the target is turning or losing speed as the missile will quickly bleed its energy, failing to hit its target. In front-aspect launches, try to spool up the seeker from ~5 km if you know an enemy is inbound - and preferably try and stay behind terrain for as much as possible. This is because many other aircraft carry AAMs that can also front-aspect you be it IR or SARH, and if they decide to fire a missile before you do it can cause your missile to lock onto the in-the-moment hotter AAM, missing its target as their missile sends you back to the hangar. This makes it vital to lock and fire before the enemy has a chance to do the same to you, meaning a last minute firing is ideal. Firing from approximately 2 km away is ideal as it is much too close for the enemy to dodge effectively in time.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Availability of Matra Super 530F and Matra R550 Magic 2 air-to-air missiles
- The Cyrano-IV radar allows low-altitude Moving Target Indicator (MTI) and ACM modes, an upgrade from the previous Mirages (IIIC & IIIE)
- Carries 252 countermeasures
- Large amount of bombs and rockets
- 30 mm DEFA cannons will essentially knock out planes upon hit due to their heavy-hitting power
- CCIP for bombs, rockets and cannons
Cons:
- Below average acceleration compared to contemporaries with heavy ordnance
- Mediocre manoeuvrability compared to contemporaries
- The Matra Super 530F missiles are very heavy and strongly impact flight performance
- 30 mm DEFA cannons have a steep learning curve, particularly against high-speed targets
- The Matra R530s and Matra Super 530Fs are easily defeated by chaff, making them hard to use effectively
- RWR lack modern features like tracking detection and has low threat types
History
The Mirage F1C-200 is essentially a Mirage F1C with an air-refuelling probe. The addition of the air-refuelling probe also extended the length of the fuselage by 7 cm. Some Mirage F1C-200s also received a GPS in the 1990s. These F1C-200s were intended for long expeditionary missions and saw combat in places like Africa and the Middle East. During the early 1980s, Mirage F1C-200s provided air cover for SEPECAT Jaguars performing attack runs against the Libyan-backed insurgency in Chad. A few years later, the F1C-200s and Jaguars were redeployed again to Chad until 1992, when the government was overthrown. Mirage F1C-200s were also present in the United Arab Emirates during the Gulf War to supplement air defense with Qatari Mirage F1EDAs. The Iraqis took the refuelling probes from the Mirage F1C-200s they had acquired and fitted them on their MiG-23s.
Media
- Skins
- Videos
See also
- Related development
External links
Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:
- topic on the official game forum;
- other literature.
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|---|---|
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| **Jointly manufactured with Dornier Flugzeugwerke | |
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