Snecma M53
The SNECMA M53 is an afterburning turbofan engine developed for the Dassault Mirage 2000
fighter by Snecma. The engine is in service with different air forces, including the latest Mirage
2000-5 and 2000-9 multirole fighters.
Design and development M53
The engine was derived from the Atar series by
adding a bypass duct aft of the 3rd compressor
stage. The first 3 stages were enlarged to give an
LP and HP section on the same shaft. It is a
single shaft turbofan, or continuous bleed/bypass
turbojet.[1] It was originally called the Super Atar
9K50 and was designed for sustained flight at
Mach 2.5.[2] Flight testing started in July 1973
using a Caravelle flying test-bed and the engine
Type Turbofan
first went supersonic in a Mirage F.1 test bed at
the end of 1974.[3] National origin France
The engine was designed to have better Manufacturer Snecma
performance than the latest Atar engines but
Major applications Dassault Mirage
simpler and less costly than the SNECMA TF 306 2000
[1]
turbofan. The fan and HP compressor on the
same shaft gave an engine with no restrictions on
throttle movements, known as 'carefree handling', during flight.[4]
The engine has a modular construction, first introduced on the Napier Eland turboprop and then
later in a big way with the Pratt & Whitney JT9D engine.[5] Modular construction allows sub-
assemblies or modules to be changed without the need for full power testing of the engine after
replacement. Modules are changed “on condition”[6] by monitoring deteriorating trends in
performance and mechanical measurements, such as exhaust gas temperature and oil samples,
and by visually assessing blade clearances and high temperature distress on internal parts using
borescopes.
The engine is in service in 8 different air forces, powering the whole Mirage 2000 family of airplanes,
including the latest Mirage 2000-5 and 2000-9 multirole fighters.
Variants
Nozzle of an M53 installed in a Mirage
2000B
M53-5 - powered initial Mirage 2000C models [7]
Dry thrust: 54.0 kN (5,500 kgp / 12,230 lbf)
Afterburning thrust: 86.3 kN (8,800 kgp / 19,400 lbf)
M53-P2 - powered later Mirage 2000C models and used to upgrade earlier models [7]
Dry thrust: 64.7 kN (6,600 kgp / 14,500 lbf)
Afterburning thrust: 95.1 kN (9,700 kgp / 21,400 lbf)
Applications
Dassault Mirage 2000
Dassault Mirage 2000N/2000D
Dassault Mirage 4000
Dassault Mirage F1M-53
Specifications (M53-P2)
Modules of M53 engine
General characteristics
Type: Afterburning single-shaft turbofan
Length: 5,070 mm (199.60 in)
Diameter: 796 mm (31.33 in) inlet
Dry weight: 1,515 kg (3,340 lb)
Components
Compressor: 8-stage axial compressor
Combustors: annular
Turbine: 2-stage axial turbine
Performance
Maximum thrust:
64 kN (14,300 lbf) military thrust
95 kN (21,384 lbf) with afterburner
Overall pressure ratio: 9.8:1
Bypass ratio: 0.36:1
Air mass flow: 92 kg/s
Turbine inlet temperature: 1 327 °C
Specific fuel consumption:
0.90(kg/daN.h) military thrust
2.10(kg/daN.h) maximum afterburner
Thrust-to-weight ratio: 6.5
See also
Related lists
List of aircraft engines
References
1. Jane, Frederick T. (1975). Taylor, John W. R. (ed.). Jane's All The World's Aircraft, 1975-1976.
New York: Franklin Watts Inc. p. 691. ISBN 0-531 03250 7.
2. "Engines" ([Link]
chive/view/1973/1973%2520-%[Link]?search=snecma) . Flight International. 1973-
11-22. p. 863. Archived from the original ([Link]
1973%2520-%[Link]?search=snecma) on 2018-12-30. Retrieved 2021-05-30.
3. "France's Aircraft Industry" ([Link]
[Link]/pdfarchive/view/1976/1976%20-%[Link]?search=snecma) . Flight
International. 1976-11-27. p. 1599. Archived from the original ([Link]
farchive/view/1976/[Link]?search=snecma) on 2018-12-30. Retrieved 2021-05-30.
4. The Development Of Jet And Turbine Engines, Bill Gunston, Hayne's Publishing 2006, ISBN 0
7509 4477 3, p.179
5. "Archived copy" ([Link]
pdfarchive/view/1973/1973%20-%[Link]?search=snecma) . [Link].
Archived from the original ([Link]
[Link]?search=snecma) on 30 December 2018. Retrieved 12 January 2022.
6. "Archived copy" ([Link]
pdfarchive/view/1967/1967%20-%[Link]) . [Link]. Archived from the
original ([Link] on 30
December 2018. Retrieved 12 January 2022.
7. "The Dassault Mirage 2000 & 4000" ([Link] . [Link].
External links
Manufacturer website ([Link]
53)
Manufacturer Specification sheet (pdf) ([Link]
[Link]/IMG/pdf/M53-P2_ang-[Link])