The Mirage aircraft avionics upgrade project named as Retrofit of Strike Element (ROSE) was conceived in 1992. The upgradation of the aircraft commenced in April 1995 and was successfully completed by 1998. The avionics package included inertial navigation system (INS), head up display (HUD), multi mode radar, airborne video recording system and self-protection systems like RWR, chaff and flares.
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No. 25 squadron was re-equipped as a transient squadron for ROSE modified aircraft in April 1996. Later, 7 squadron and the CCS (Mirage) squadron were allotted ROSE modified aircraft by August 1997. In 1996, a project was launched to upgrade the avionics of the Mirage-V (ROSE-II) aircraft. SAGEM of France did this task and the aircrafts were delivered to the PAF after the avionics upgrade.
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These aircraft are equipped with forward-looking infra radar (FLIR) instead of fire control radar. All ROSE-I and ROSE-II aircraft thus carry sophisticated and the latest avionics equipment like the navigation and attack unit (NAU), head up display (HUD), radio altimeter, coloured airborne video tape recorder (AVTR), etc.
Reproduced from The Story of Pakistan Air Force 1988-1998 with additional comments by Team Global Defense Insight.
