Honduran Mirage 50H3M

[comrade harps]

Honduran Mirage 50H3M
a/c 515, 3 Grupo Tactico, Honduran Air Force
Butterworth, Malaysia, 25 June 2007
Pilot: Lt. Maylin Menjivar



During the 1970s, the Honduran Air Force developed a force structure that saw it operate 3 jet combat squadrons. The 1 Grupo Tactico flew A-37B Dragnonflies to prosecute COIN duties, both domestically and at a regional level with detachments as required under OAS or UN command. 2 Grupo Tactico was dedicated to domestic air defence, flying F-5E/F Tiger IIs. 3 Grupo Tactico was equipped with Mirage 5H/5DH/RH for fighter, attack and reconnaissance roles and was tasked with contributing to OAS or UN missions as required. From 1980, 3 Grupo Tactico was regularly committed to year-long multinational UN deployments as part of the Rio Treaty's Air Task Force (ATF) program. Each ATF deployed for a year and undertook multinational training and forward combat deployments across the UN's area of operations.




Honduras ordered 18 Mirage 50 in 1972: 14 Mirage 50H attack fighters, 2 Mirage 50DH trainers and 2 Mirage 50RH reconnaissance aircraft. These replaced Dassault Blue Day Super Mystreres B.2s in 3 Grupo Tactico. Powered by the Orenda Mauve Mist Atar-9K-50, these aircraft had an austere avionics suite, an air-to-air refuelling probe and 7 ordnance pylons. A follow-on order for 6 Mirage 50H2s was signed in 1979. In 1985-86, the unit took its Mirages on UN deployment to Thailand and flew combat missions to defend the UN's Cambodian Peace Zone. After this first deployment saw two aircraft lost due to controlled flight into the terrain in adverse weather, the Mirages were upgraded with the ventral Doppler radar usually associated with the Mirage IIIE series. 3 Grupo Tactico deployed to Panama during the 1990 Columbian Crisis, mounting several bombing missions during the UN"s Operation Restore Freedom to topple Colombia's democratically elected NarcoRed government.




In 1992, the Honduran government contracted with the Indian company HAL to rebuild the Mirages in a major Mid-Life Update (M50H-MLU). This program introduced features including a lengthened nose, frameless forward canopy, canards, an enlarged ventral spine with built-in chaff/flare dispensers, GPS navigation, a glass cockpit with HOTAS controls and other avionics based on those used in HAL's Mirage J79 series. Under the M50H-MLU project, the R3M reconnaissance aircraft were converted to H3M standard, the nose-mounted photo equipment being replaced by pods. 6 HAL-built, ex-Indian Air Force (single-seat) Mirage IIIINs and 5 (two-seat) Mirage IIIDINs were also acquired and brought up to the M50H-MLU standard. A follow-up Mirage 50 Continuous Improvement Program (M50CIP) for the upgraded Mirage 50H3M/D3M fleet saw new systems progressively introduced, such as laser and EO-guided munitions and targeting pods.






In June 2007, 3 Grupo Tactico was at Butterworth in Malaysia, along with Argentine F-16EMs and Mexican F-16C/Ds as the fixed-wing combat elements of ATF06-07. As the UN mounted a massive armed humanitarian intervention on the Korean Penisula, the DPRK's allies responded with a campaign of destabilisation in the South China Sea. Following several live-fire incidents around the contested Spratly Islands, the UN authorised a strike against the assets of the Vietnamese Navy, whose ships and aircraft were responsible for numerous hostile actions. On the night of 25 June, aircraft from ATF06-07 participated in a strike package to engage targets at Cam Ranh Bay. 4 Mirage 50H3Ms, supported by 2 Mirage 50D3Ms, delivered 4 SPICE 2000 EO/GPS-guided glide bombs against Vietnamese naval vessels. Each single-seat Mirage carried one SPICE 2000 and the two-seaters used their AN/AXQ-14 data link pods to guide the bombs onto their targets. The SPICE 2000 was used to hit - and sink - a frigate, two destroyers and an amphibious assault vessel. Another 4 Mirage 50H3Ms launched AGM-88B HARMs. The cranked-arrow-winged Argentine F-16EMs delivered JSOW glide bombs and GBU-31 JDAMs against both ships and land targets, while Mexican F-16Cs conducted fighter cover and launched AGM-88C HARMs. The UN reported that the attack had met its objectives and there was no subsequent combat by ATF06-07 before its scheduled withdrawal at the end of the month.




Flying Mirage 50H3M #515 on 25 June 2007, Lt. Maylin Menjivar became the first Honduran Air Force female pilot to fly a combat mission. Lt. Menjivar's aircraft was armed with a SPICE 2000 and two AIM-9M Sidewinders and carried a Litening II FLIR/targeting pod and an ALQ-119 ECM pod.

[Tophe]

Congratulations once again!

[Dizzyfugu]

Nice. 

[SPINNERS]

Lovely stuff. I'm really into the Mirage/Kfir at the moment!

[Pellson]

Awesome camo. Again!
What's your inspiration this time?

[chrisonord]

Very nice 
I  have  a soft spot for Honduras air force Mirages. I have  been  thinking of  doing  some Honduras stuff as a break from my RAF builds. This has spurred my enthusiasm 
Chris

[comrade harps]

Awesome camo. Again!
What's your inspiration this time?

Standard F-16 camo. Nice and simple but stylish.

[zenrat]

 

[Pellson]

Awesome camo. Again!
What's your inspiration this time?

Standard F-16 camo. Nice and simple but stylish.

But green?!  It's simply great!

[NARSES2]

That does look nice 

[comrade harps]

Awesome camo. Again!
What's your inspiration this time?

Standard F-16 camo. Nice and simple but stylish.

But green?!  It's simply great!

Green? I think that's a camera thing. Humbrol M64 undersurfaces with M144 Intermediate Blue and M87 Steel Blue on the uppers. Put M87 next to a grey and it looks quite blue. Put it next to a blue and it looks entirely grey. I like those paints that change their complexion so much according to context.

[zenrat]

The forward, upper paint looks green to me.  Albeit a very aqua shade, but definitely a green.

Obviously usual caveats regarding laptop screen & my eyes apply.

[comrade harps]

The forward, upper paint looks green to me.  Albeit a very aqua shade, but definitely a green.

Obviously usual caveats regarding laptop screen & my eyes apply.

My camouflages are becoming controversial! Please, don't lock this one.

[DogfighterZen]