The Dassault Mirage IIIV , also spelled Mirage III V , was a French vertical take-off and landing ( VTOL ) prototype fighter aircraft of the mid-1960s developed and produced by Dassault Aviation .
100-469: The Mirage IIIV was a VTOL derivative of an existing conventional fighter, the Dassault Mirage III ; the principal difference between the two types was the addition of eight small vertical lift jets which straddled the main engine. These lift jets would have been used during vertical takeoffs and landings, but would have been inactive during horizontal flight. The Mirage IIIV had come about as
200-866: A batch of 16 Mirage IIIEs, three Mirage IIID two-seaters and four Mirage IIIR photo-reconnaissance aircraft. During the early 1970s, South Africa reportedly held negotiations with Dassault with the aim of securing a licence to produce either the Mirage III, the Mirage 5 and the Mirage F1. However, much like Israel, South Africa was similarly isolated by a French arms embargo after the passage of United Nations Security Council Resolution 418 in November 1977. The South African Air Force launched an ambitious rebuild programme for its Mirage III fleet, soliciting Israeli technical assistance to convert existing airframes into
300-491: A bigger wing; the Mirage IIIV was considerably larger than contemporary fighter aircraft of its era. Akin to the earlier Balzac V testbed, the Mirage IIIV was outfitted with a total of nine engines: a single SNECMA -modified Pratt & Whitney JTF10 turbofan, designated TF104 , capable of producing up to 61.8 kN (13,900 lb f ) of thrust, and eight Rolls-Royce RB162 -1 engines, each being capable of generating
400-543: A centerline pod for conducting photo reconnaissance missions, as well as an integral fuel tank underneath the aft belly; this tank could carry a smaller fuel load, but also allowed for a rear-facing film camera to also be added. When fitted with the reconnaissance pod, supersonic performance was severely diminished. The Mirage IIIS could be optionally fitted with a SEPR (Société d'Etudes pour la Propulsion par Réaction) 841 rocket engine with its 300 L (79 US gal; 66 imp gal) nitric acid oxidiser tank. It
500-592: A centrally mounted RB.162-86 which was used for takeoff and climb in the hot prevailing conditions of the Mediterranean area. The 'boost' engine was shut down for cruising flight. Some conversion was needed for the change from vertical to horizontal installation. With the RB.162 fitted the Trident 3B had a 15% increase in thrust over the earlier variants for an engine weight penalty of only 5%. A design study for
600-469: A desire for a redesign. The new, larger aircraft design soon emerged, which was initially designated as P.1150/3 prior to being redesignated as the P.1154 . In January 1962, HSA submitted the proposed design of the P.1154 to NATO via the Ministry of Aviation . NBMR.3 attracted a total of eleven contenders, including Dassault's Mirage IIIV proposal, which would become viewed as the principal competitor to
700-492: A lightweight, all-weather interceptor , capable of climbing to 18,000 meters (59,100 ft) in 6 minutes along with the ability to reach Mach 1.3 in level flight. Three separate French manufacturers decided to respond to the specification, these being Dassault Aviation , Sud-Est , and Sud-Ouest , offering the MD.550 Mystère Delta , SE.212 Durandal and SO.9000 Trident , respectively. Dassault's submission, which became known as
800-409: A maximum of 15.7 kN (3,525 lbf) thrust, which were mounted vertically in pairs around the centreline. A key design feature of the Mirage IIIV to improve vertical flight performance was the installation of movable thrust deflector doors ahead of the nozzles set in the aircraft's underside. These would be inclined 45° rearwards while on the ground, dispersing both debris and hot gasses away from
900-681: A new world speed record on 1 March 1956. During the latter stages of testing of the Fairy Delta 2 in October and November 1956, the FD2 performed 47 low level supersonic test flights from Cazaux Air Base , Bordeaux , in France. Dassault engineers observed these trials and obtained additional data on the performance and flight characteristics of delta wing aircraft. The Delta 2 confirmed Dassault's theories, and provided additional supporting evidence for
1000-424: A relatively long takeoff run and a high landing speed. The delta wing itself limits maneuverability and suffers from buffeting at low altitude due to the large wing area and resulting low wing loading . However, the delta is a simple design, easy to construct and relatively robust while providing generous amounts of internal volume in the wing for fuel tankage and being capable of achieving high speeds when flown in
1100-571: A requirement for an extended range aircraft to serve Mediterranean destinations. After a plan to operate a mixed fleet of Boeing 727 and 737 aircraft was not approved by the British Government Hawker Siddeley offered BEA a stretched and improved performance version of the Trident that they were already operating. This variant, the Trident 3B, used, in addition to its three Rolls-Royce Spey turbofan engines,
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#17327811699321200-650: A response to the issuing of a NATO specification, NATO Basic Military Requirement 3 ( NBMR-3 ), which sought a supersonic -capable VTOL strike fighter. The Mirage IIIV was a competitor with Hawker Siddeley 's P.1154 VTOL fighter, a cousin of the Hawker Siddeley Harrier . Both aircraft competed to be selected to meet the NBMR-3 requirement. While the Mirage IIIV is commonly viewed as being more politically palatable due to an emphasis having been placed upon multinational development and manufacturing plans,
1300-645: A sleek supersonic tank which also had bomb-carrying capacity. The outboard pylon was intended to carry an AIM-9B Sidewinder air-to-air missile, later replaced by the Matra R550 Magic and was also armed with the radar guided Matra R530 Missile on the center line pylon. A total of 95 Mirage IIICs were obtained by the French Air Force ( Armée de l'Air , AdA), with initial operational deliveries in July 1961. The Mirage IIIC remained in service with
1400-589: A straight line. "If it were not for the clumsy way in which you tackle things in Britain, you could have made the Mirage yourself." Marcel Dassault , founder of Dassault Aviation British aviation author Derek Wood observed that there was "a striking resemblance" between the MD.550 Delta and the British Fairey Delta 2 , an experimental aircraft that first flew on 6 October 1954, and which set
1500-401: A supersonic V/STOL strike fighter with a combat radius of 460 kilometres (250 nmi). Cruise speed was to be Mach 0.92, with a dash speed of Mach 1.5. The aircraft, with a 910-kilogram (2,000 lb) payload, had to be able to clear a 15-metre (50 ft) obstacle following a 150-metre (500 ft) takeoff roll. Victory in this competition was viewed being of a high importance at
1600-480: A surface attack aircraft and the twin seat Mirage IIIO(D) , a lead-in fighter trainer . GAF completed 48 Mirage IIIO(F), 50 Mirage IIIO(A) and 16 Mirage IIIO(D) aircraft. Between 1967 and 1979, all the surviving Mirage IIIO(F) aircraft were converted to the Mirage IIIO(A) standard, which reconfigured them from the interceptor role to perform ground attack and aerial reconnaissance missions instead. In 1988,
1700-650: A test model for Australian evaluation, which was given the Mirage IIIO designation. This variant flew in February 1961, but the Avon powerplant was ultimately not adopted on production aircraft. The first major production model, the Mirage IIIC , first flew in October 1960. The IIIC was largely similar to the earlier IIIA, being less than a half meter longer and featuring a full operational fit. The Mirage IIIC
1800-750: A variant based on the Mirage IIIE and powered by the SNECMA Atar engine, built under license by Government Aircraft Factories (GAF) at Fishermans Bend , Melbourne . Known as the Mirage IIIO or GAF Mirage , the Australian variant differed from the Mirage IIIE mainly in its avionics. The other major Australian aircraft manufacturer at the time, the Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation (CAC), also based in Melbourne,
1900-516: Is a family of single/dual-seat, single-engine, fighter aircraft developed and manufactured by French aircraft company Dassault Aviation . It was the first Western European combat aircraft to exceed Mach 2 in horizontal flight, which it achieved on 24 October 1958. In 1952, the French government issued its specification, calling for a lightweight , all-weather interceptor . Amongst the respondents were Dassault with their design, initially known as
2000-692: The Atlas Cheetah ). Subsequently, these aircraft have been modified to accept additional equipment and munitions, such as Chinese PL-12 air-to-air missiles. In 2019, the PAF was reported to be in negotiation with Egypt for purchase of 30 Mirages. Variants of the Mirage IIIE were built under license in both Australia (as the IIIO) by GAF , and Switzerland (as the IIIS) by F+W Emmen . Australia first showed an official interest in replacing its CAC Sabre with
2100-698: The Atlas Cheetah . Fixed foreplanes distinguish the Cheetah from its Mirage predecessor, and an extended nose, probably inspired by the IAI Kfir, houses a modified electronics suite, including radar. Built in single-seat, two-seat interceptor, and two-seat combat trainer versions, the Atlas Cheetah entered service in 1987 during the South African Border War . Armament consists of Denel Kukri or Darter heat-seeking air-to-air missiles,
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#17327811699322200-684: The Falklands War , but their lack of an aerial refueling capability limited the aircraft's usefulness in the conflict. Even using drop tanks, the Mirages only had an endurance of five minutes within the combat area around the British fleet. The Mirage III family has its origins within a series of studies conducted by the French Defence Ministry which had commenced in 1952. At the time, several nations had taken an interest in
2300-622: The Hawker-Siddeley Kestrel VTOL attack aircraft was flying in tri-partite trials with the UK, US and West Germany. The French preferred the Mirage IIIV, and the international cooperation that would have been necessary to move the P.1154 into reality would never materialise. Some of the P.1154 work contributed to the final operational vertical take-off fighter based on the Kestrel, the highly successful Harrier . The Mirage IIIV
2400-704: The Mirage IIICJ , and South Africa , the bulk of their fleet being the Mirage IIICZ . Some export customers obtained the Mirage IIIB, with designations only changed to provide a country code, such as: Mirage IIIDA for Argentina , Mirage IIIDBR for Brazil , Mirage IIIBJ for Israel , Mirage IIIBL for Lebanon , Mirage IIIDP for Pakistan , Mirage IIIBZ and Mirage IIIDZ and Mirage IIID2Z for South Africa , Mirage IIIDE for Spain and Mirage IIIDV for Venezuela . After Israeli success with
2500-596: The Mirage IIIEZ , Spain as the Mirage IIIEE , and Venezuela as the Mirage IIIEV , with a list of subvariant designations, with minor variations in equipment fit. Dassault believed the customer was always right, and was happy to accommodate changes in equipment fit as customer needs and budget required. Some customers obtained the two-seat Mirage IIIBE under the general designation Mirage IIID , though
2600-512: The Mirage IV . A decisive factor had been interest from the French military, who had made its favour for the Mirage III proposal known to the company. The Mirage III incorporated various new design principles, such as the transonic area rule concept, where changes to an aircraft's cross-section were made as gradual as possible, resulting in the famous "wasp waist" configuration of many supersonic fighters. Similar to its Mirage I predecessor,
2700-657: The P.1154. Substantial support for the Mirage IIIV came from Britain, work on the programme having involved the British Aircraft Corporation (BAC), while the Dassault-led design also held the favour of several members of the British Air Staff. While the P.1154 was judged to be technically superior, the Mirage IIIV had acquired a greater level of political palatability due to the co-operative development and production aspects proposed for
2800-679: The SAAB Licence built Robot 27 (Rb27), which is similar to the Hughes AIM-26 "Falcon"). Radar warning receivers (RWR) were installed upon on both wingtips and on the back of the rudder. In addition, the Mirage IIIS had the wiring to carry a Swiss-built or French-built nuclear bomb. In the event, the programme to produce a Swiss nuclear bomb was stopped in the pre-production stage and Switzerland chose not to purchase such weapons from France either. The Mirage IIIRS could also carry
2900-649: The Six-Day War , where it was used as both an air superiority and strike aircraft , and the Yom Kippur War , during which it was used exclusively in air-to-air combat in conjunction with the IAI Nesher , an Israeli-built derivative of the Mirage 5. Ace of aces Giora Epstein achieved all of his kills flying either the Mirage III or the Nesher. During the South African Border War , the Mirage III formed
3000-602: The Swiss Air Force . Accordingly, Mirages were manufactured in Switzerland by F+W Emmen (today RUAG , the federal government aircraft factory in Emmen ) under the Mirage IIIS designation. The Mirage IIIS was intended to perform the attack, interception, and reconnaissance missions in a single model. However, the venture suffered considerable cost overruns, mainly due to Swiss-mandated customisations and features, this
3100-575: The TF104 . The TF104 engine was originally evaluated on a specially-constructed aerial testbed aircraft, the Mirage IIIT , which shared many similarities to basic design of the Mirage IIIC design, with the exception of modifications in order to accommodate the selected engine. The TF104 engine was quickly replaced by an upgraded TF106 engine, with thrust of 74.5 kN (16,750 lb f ), before
Dassault Mirage IIIV - Misplaced Pages Continue
3200-541: The 1960s, the Soviet Union was alleged to have been engaged in attempts at conducting industrial espionage that targeted Dassault and specifically the Mirage III. In one widely reported incident, a pilot of the Lebanese Air Force was approached by Soviet agents, who offered him a bribe to fly one of the nation's 14 Mirage IIIs directly to Soviet territory; Lebanese counter-intelligence was notified of
3300-501: The AdA until 1988. The Armée de l'Air also placed an order for a two-seat Mirage IIIB operational trainer. Performing its first flight on 21 October 1959, it was developed in parallel with the Mirage IIIC. The fuselage was stretched about a meter (3 ft 3.5 in), while both cannons were removed to accommodate the second seat. The IIIB lacked radar and provision for the SEPR rocket
3400-666: The Balzac prototype was to prove the autopilot system, which was identical to the unit which was proposed use with the Mirage IIIV, as well as the lift and transition system. The Balzac began tethered hovering on 12 October 1962 and achieved the first free hover only six days later. The first accelerating transition from vertical take-off to horizontal flight took place on its 17th sortie on 18 March 1963. The aircraft had two fatal accidents, one in January 1964 and one in September 1965. After
3500-649: The French government; he has claimed that the state would often commence negotiations without involving or informing Dassault at all until a later stage. A good number of Mirage IIIEs were built for export as well, being purchased in small numbers by Argentina as the Mirage IIIEA , Brazil as the Mirage IIIEBR , Lebanon as the Mirage IIIEL , Pakistan as the Mirage IIIEP , South Africa as
3600-636: The IIIR recce aircraft were purchased by Abu Dhabi, Belgium, Colombia, Egypt, Libya, Pakistan , and South Africa. Some export Mirage IIIRDs were fitted with British Vinten cameras, not OMERA cameras. Most of the Belgian aircraft were built locally. The Israeli Air Force (IAF) purchased three variants of the Mirage III: Initial Israeli operations were conducted in a close cooperative relationship with both Dassault and France itself,
3700-413: The MD.550 Mystère Delta featured a tailless delta configuration, possessing a 5 per cent thickness (ratio of airfoil thickness to length) and 60° sweep, complete with a large vertical stabilizer and rudder . However, the tailless delta configuration imposed a number of limitations, including the lack of a horizontal stabilizer , which meant that conventional flaps could not be used; this resulted in
3800-501: The MD.550 Mystère Delta, was a diminutive and sleek-appearing aircraft that was principally powered by a pair of 9.61 kN (2,160 lbf) Armstrong Siddeley MD30R Viper afterburning turbojet engines (built under licence by Dassault); atypically, the design also featured provisions for the installation of a secondary propulsion system in the form of a SEPR -built 66 liquid-fuel rocket engine , capable of providing boost thrust of 4.7 kN (1,100 lbf). The basic layout of
3900-603: The Mach number increased. This achieved a reduction in inlet pressure losses by ensuring the fuselage oblique shock remained outside the intake lip. Reportedly, their addition enabled an increased speed of Mach 1.65 to be reached, while use of the supplemental SEPR 66 rocket (as fitted to the Mirage I) had allowed for a speed of Mach 1.8 to be reached in September 1957. The success of the Mirage III prototype resulted in an order for 10 pre-production Mirage IIIA fighters. Although
4000-399: The Mirage I. Following favourable flight testing held over the course of 1954, in which speeds of up to Mach 1.6 were attained, it was decided that a larger follow-on aircraft would be required to bear the necessary equipment and payloads. An enlarged Mirage II proposal was considered, as well as MD 610 Cavalier (3 versions), but was discarded in favour of a further-developed design, powered by
4100-428: The Mirage III had provision for a booster rocket engine. On 17 November 1956, the prototype Mirage III perform its first flight. During its 10th flight, it was recorded as having attained a speed of Mach 1.52 at one point. During the course of the flight test programme, the prototype was fitted with a pair of manually-operated intake half-cone shock diffusers , known as souris ("mice"), which could be moved forward as
Dassault Mirage IIIV - Misplaced Pages Continue
4200-605: The Mirage III in 1960, and initially considered a variant powered by a licence-built variant of the Rolls-Royce Avon turbojet (used by the CAC Sabre). While an experimental Avon-powered Mirage III was built as a prototype and flown in trials, it did not result in use of the Avon by a production variant. The Australian government decided that the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) would receive
4300-449: The Mirage III was finally withdrawn from RAAF service; 50 of the surviving fighters were exported to Pakistan in 1990. Several examples are preserved in museums around Australia; at least one of these is reportedly under restoration to a taxiable condition. In 1961, Switzerland purchased a single Mirage IIIC from France for use as a development aircraft to support the nation's intentions to domestically produce 100 Mirage III fighters for
4400-440: The Mirage IIIC, scoring kills against Syrian Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-17s and MiG-21 aircraft and then achieving a formidable victory against Egypt , Jordan , and Syria in the Six-Day War of June 1967, the Mirage III's earned a combat-proven service history. This and low cost made it a popular export success. According to Brindley, a key element of the Mirage III's export success was the extensive support given to Dassault by
4500-473: The Mirage IIIE's export versions. The Mirage IIIE featured Thomson-CSF Cyrano II dual mode air / ground radar; a radar warning receiver (RWR) system with the antennas mounted in the vertical tailplane; and an Atar 09C engine, the latter being equipped with a petal-style variable exhaust. On 14 January 1964, the first production Mirage IIIE was delivered to the AdA, over time, 192 aircraft were eventually delivered to that service. By 1971, this variant had become
4600-407: The Mirage IIIE, and provision for carrying an infrared linescan or a Side looking airborne radar in an under-fuselage pod. In response to interest expressed by the AdA in a reconnaissance model of the Mirage design, Dassault proceeded with the development of a pair of prototypes. On 31 October 1961, the first of these prototypes conducted its maiden flight; on 1 February 1963, it was followed by
4700-463: The Mirage IIIV were not expected to be available before 1963, Dassault decided to modify the first Mirage III prototype into an interim VTOL testbed; in this configuration, it became the Balzac V . This was fitted with eight Rolls-Royce RB.108 lift engines along with a single unreheated Bristol Orpheus BOr 3 as the main engine. According to aerospace publication Flight International , a key goal for
4800-622: The NBMR.3 selection going unheeded by all of the NATO member nations. Thus, in 1965, the NMBR.3 project was unceremoniously terminated. While the French government formally withdrew its participation in NMBR.3, after the Mirage IIIV had been rejected, Dassault continued work towards the building of Mirage IIIV prototypes. Since the Rolls-Royce RB162 lift engines which had been specified for
4900-633: The RAAF for cannibalized spare parts . Eight of the ex-RAAF Mirages entered service with the PAF immediately, while another 33 were upgraded under a PAF project known as ROSE I ("Retrofit of Strike Element"), with new equipment including: head-up display (HUD), HOTAS controls, multi-function display (MFD), radar altimeter , nav/attack system (manufactured by SAGEM ), inertial navigation and GPS systems, radar warning receiver (RWR), an electronic countermeasures (ECM) suite, decoy flares and chaff dispenser. In 1999, multi-mode FIAR Grifo M3 radar
5000-603: The aircraft, including the Dassault Mirage 5 , Dassault Mirage IIIV and Atlas Cheetah . Some operators have undertaken extensive modification and upgrade programmes, such as Project ROSE of the Pakistan Air Force . The Mirage III has been used in active combat roles in multiple conflicts by a number of operators. The Israeli Air Force was perhaps the most prolific operator of the fighter outside of France itself; Israel deployed their Mirage IIIs in both
5100-410: The aircraft. As the engines accelerated to full power, these doors would automatically drop to a 90° position in order to obtain maximum lift thrust. According to Flight International, the Mirage IIIV had an advertised performance envelope in the vicinity of Mach 1.15 when flown at low altitude and Mach 2.3 when flown at height. Throughout development, the electronics were given substantial attention; it
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#17327811699325200-441: The attempt by the pilot. Diplomatically, France was protective of the fighter, often forbidding nations from re-exporting their Mirage IIIs to third parties without their consent under the threat of a prospective embargo. Export versions of the Mirage IIIR were built for Pakistan as the Mirage IIIRP and Mirage IIIRP2 , and South Africa as the Mirage IIIRZ and Mirage IIIR2Z with an Atar 9K-50 jet engine. Export versions of
5300-413: The bulk of the South African Air Force 's fleet, comprising a cluster of Mirage IIICZ interceptors, Mirage IIIEZ fighter-bombers and Mirage IIIRZ reconnaissance fighters; following the introduction of the newer Mirage F1 , the type was dedicated to secondary roles in the conflict, such as daytime interception, base security, reconnaissance and training. The Argentine Air Force used the Mirage IIIEA during
5400-524: The cockpit; in contrast, none of the Mirage IIICs were provided with this apparatus. A similar inconsistent variation was the presence or absence of a high frequency (HF) antenna fitted as a forward extension to the vertical tailplane; on some Mirages, the leading edge of the tailplane was a straight line, while on those with the HF antenna the leading edge had a sloping extension forward. The extension appears to have been generally standard on production Mirage IIIAs and Mirage IIICs, but only appeared in some of
5500-490: The company should investigate the prospects of developing and manufacturing a viable combat-capable vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) fighter aircraft. Along with the subsonic Hawker P.1127 fighter (which would become the Hawker Siddeley Harrier later on, a supersonic design, designated as the P.1150 was produced; however, the release of NBMR-3, and subsequent revisions to it, led to the P.1150 proposal being considered to be undersized and thus unsatisfactory, which led to
5600-567: The design of P.1154 (which only used a single engine) was seen as more straightforward and practical. Ultimately the P.1154 was selected to meet the NBMR-3 requirement to the detriment of the Mirage IIIV. One of the two prototypes constructed was destroyed in an accident; shortly following its loss, the whole project was abandoned; the surviving aircraft has since been placed on public display. In August 1961, NATO released an updated revision of its VTOL strike fighter requirement, NATO Basic Military Requirement 3 ( NBMR-3 ). Specifications called for
5700-421: The early 1960s, it was specially designed for use as a lift engine for VTOL aircraft but was also used in a later variant of the Hawker Siddeley Trident airliner as an auxiliary boost engine. A smaller related variant, the RB.181 remained a design project only, as did a turbofan version designated RB.175 . The RB.162 was designed to meet an anticipated need for a lift engine to power VTOL aircraft with
5800-417: The emphasis on simplicity, durability and lightweight construction. Development costs were shared by Britain, France and Germany after signing a joint memorandum of agreement . The engine featured fibre glass compressor casings and plastic compressor blades to save weight which also had the effect of reducing production costs. The engine has no oil system, a metered dose of oil instead being injected into
5900-457: The first production-standard aircraft of the model. The AdA opted to obtain a total of 50 production Mirage IIIRs; the service later ordered a further 20 Mirage IIIRDs as well. Several export customers, most notably Switzerland , also chose to procure reconnaissance Mirages. The Mirage IIIR preceded the Mirage IIIE in operational introduction. The largest export customers for Mirage IIICs built in France were Israel , their principal variant being
6000-449: The first prototype made its initial transition to forward flight in March 1966. The prototype subsequently attained Mach 1.32 during test flights. In June 1966, the second prototype, which featured a TF306 turbofan engine for forward thrust of 82.4 kN (18,500 lb f ), conducted its first flight. During September of that year, it attained Mach 2.04 in level flight, but was lost in an accident on 28 November 1966. The Mirage IIIV
6100-443: The form of the single-seat Mirage IIIE ; a two-seat trainer variant of the aircraft was also developed, designated as the Mirage IIID . On 5 April 1961, the first of a batch of three prototypes performed its first flight. The Mirage IIIE considerably differed from the earlier Mirage IIIC interceptor. In terms of its airframe, the aircraft possessed a 300 mm (12 in) forward fuselage extension, which had been made to increase
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#17327811699326200-469: The former sharing large amounts of operational data and experience with the other parties. However, Israel was forced into updating its own Mirages when France imposed an arms embargo on the region after the 1967 Six-Day War . For many years, official military relations did not exist between France and Israel, however, spare components remained available. The result of these troubles was the development of Israel Aircraft Industries ' Nesher fighter, which
6300-436: The installation of afterburners and a rocket motor; it was at this point that the aircraft was renamed as the Mirage I . In late 1954, the prototype attained a recorded speed of Mach 1.3 in level flight without rocket assistance, as well as reaching Mach 1.6 when using the rocket motor. According to aviation author John F. Brindley, testing of the Mirage I and prototypes of the rival Trident and Durandal designs had demonstrated
6400-414: The last accident the aircraft was not repaired. Work on the Balzac assisted with the construction of the first prototype of the Mirage IIIV. This was roughly twice the size of the earlier aircraft. A pair of Mirage IIIV prototypes were constructed, the first of which conducted its first hovering trial on 12 February 1965. It was powered by a single Pratt & Whitney JTF10 turbofan engine, designated as
6500-418: The limitations of the light fighter concept, namely limitations on both endurance and equipment/payload capacity. The small size of the Mirage I restricted its armament to a single air-to-air missile , and it was decided during flight trials that the aircraft was too small for the carriage of a useful armament. Following the completion of flying trials, the Mirage I prototype was eventually scrapped. Dassault
6600-417: The most notable PAF unit equipped with the type has been No. 5 Squadron , which was fully operational by the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 . During the conflict, while flying out from bases in Sargodha and Mianwali , the Mirage III was used to conduct ground attacks against Indian military units and targets of interest. The PAF denied that any Mirage was lost. It was also confirmed by France that no fighter jet
6700-430: The most widely exported version of the aircraft. A number of dedicated reconnaissance variants of the Mirage III were developed and produced, grouped under the general designation of Mirage IIIR . These aircraft possessed a Mirage IIIE airframe but were furnished with avionics from the Mirage IIIC variant, along with a purpose-developed camera nose, which internally accommodated up to five OMERA cameras. On this variant,
6800-451: The newly developed Snecma Atar afterburning turbojet engine, designated as the Mirage III. In October 1960, the first major production model, designated as the Mirage IIIC, performed its maiden flight . Initial operational deliveries of this model commenced in July 1961; a total of 95 Mirage IIICs were obtained by the French Air Force ( Armée de l'Air , AdA). The Mirage IIIC was rapidly followed by numerous other variants. The Mirage III
6900-403: The newly developed Snecma Atar afterburning turbojet engine, capable of generating up to 43.2 kN (9,700 lbf) of thrust. The Atar was an axial-flow turbojet design, having been derived from the German Second World War -era BMW 003 engine. The new Atar-equipped fighter design received the name Mirage III . There was also an even larger heavy fighter design drafted, referred to as
7000-572: The programme, under which work was to be distributed across a number of member nations. In May 1962, the proposed P.1154 emerged as the winner of the NBMR.3 competition . According to aviation author Jeffort, the Mirage IIIV was rejected mainly because of its excessive complexity: using nine engines, compared to the P.1154's single-engine approach. However, the success of the P.1154 design did not lead to orders being placed for it. NATO lacked any central budget, instead relying on individual member nations to actually procure military equipment, contributing to
7100-413: The prospects of a light fighter , which had been motivated by combat experiences acquired during the Korean War , specifically the Soviet -built Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-15 jet-propelled fighter aircraft which had drawn considerable attention internationally. Western nations were keen to explore the performance of a relatively uncomplicated and heavily armed jet-powered swept wing fighter, inspired by
7200-604: The radar system was removed due to a lack of available space in the nose, however, the aircraft retained the twin DEFA cannons and all compatibility with its external stores. An improved variant, designated as the Mirage IIIRD , was also developed later on; it was essentially a Mirage IIIR outfitted with an extra panoramic camera at the most forward nose position, along with the adoption of the Doppler radar and other avionics from
7300-816: The rapid advances in aircraft capabilities that had been made by the Soviet Union. France was one of the quickest governments of several nations, including the United Kingdom (resulting in the Folland Gnat ), the United States (leading to the Douglas A-4 Skyhawk ), and Italy (which became the Fiat G.91 ), to embark on encouraging the development of such an aircraft. In 1952, the French government issued its specification, calling for
7400-528: The rocket engine could be jettisoned at low flight speeds. The rocket fuel ( TG-02 ) was very hazardous and highly toxic, requiring special buildings for maintenance to be built in Buochs and Payerne and personnel involved in its handling to wear special protective suits; accordingly, the rocket motor was not used often. Rolls-Royce RB162 The Rolls-Royce RB.162 is a lightweight British turbojet engine produced by Rolls-Royce Limited . Developed in
7500-420: The size of the avionics bay, located directly behind the cockpit. The stretch had also enabled its fuel capacity to be expanded, which had been deemed necessary after several pilots had criticized the Mirage IIIC for having been quite limited in terms of its range. Many Mirage IIIEs were fitted with a British-built Marconi continuous-wave Doppler navigation radar radome on the bottom of the fuselage, underneath
7600-565: The strengthened frames was the enabling of JATO -assisted takeoffs, giving the type a short takeoff and landing (STOL) capability. Other major differences were present on the Swiss-built interceptors. It was furnished with new American-sourced avionics along with a different cockpit design, including a Hughes Aircraft Company -built TARAN-18 radar system and could armed with the AIM-4 Falcon air-to-air missile (Swiss designation of
7700-434: The targeting of which was aided by a pilot's helmet mounted sight. In 1967, Pakistan opted to purchase an initial batch of 18 Mirage IIIEPs, 3 Mirage IIIDPs and 3 Mirage IIIRPs from France. Over the course of time, the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) inducted large numbers of new and secondhand Mirages IIIs and Mirage 5s spanning multiple variants. In 1977 and 1978, an additional 10 new Mirage IIIRP2s were delivered. Perhaps
7800-467: The tenth and final Mirage IIIA was rolled out; the last six pre-production aircraft were largely representative of the subsequent initial production standard. The test regime involved a wide variety of tasks, including the evaluation of the newer SEPR 841 rocket motor, various underwing drop tanks , and other major systems. One Mirage IIIA was powered by a Rolls-Royce Avon 67 engine capable of generating 71.1 kN (16,000 lbf) of thrust, to serve as
7900-492: The time as it was seem as being potentially "the first real NATO combat aircraft". During the 1950s and 1960, both French aircraft manufacturer Dassault Aviation and British aerospace company Hawker Siddeley Aviation (HSA) were deeply interested in vertical takeoff/landing (VTOL)-capable combat aircraft. HSA had already been keen to develop a new generation of combat aircraft that would be capable of supersonic speeds. HSA's chief aircraft designer Sir Sydney Camm decided that
8000-563: The trainers were generally similar to the Mirage IIIBE except for minor changes in equipment fit. In some cases they were identical, since two surplus AdA Mirage IIIBEs were sold to Brazil under the designation Mirage IIIBBR , and three were similarly sold to Egypt under the designation Mirage 5SDD . New-build exports of this type included aircraft sold to Abu Dhabi , Argentina, Brazil, Chile , Colombia , Egypt , Gabon , Libya , Pakistan , Peru , Spain, Venezuela, and Zaire . During
8100-453: The two main bearings by the compressed air used to turn the compressor at startup. Although the RB.162 was a successful design, the expected large VTOL aircraft market did not materialise and the engine was only produced in limited numbers. The French government invested in losses 79 million French francs (1970 value, or 94 million euros in 2022 values) between 1960 and 1966 for the Mirage IIIV. In 1966 British European Airways (BEA) had
8200-462: The type had initially conceived of as an interceptor, the batch had been ordered with the intention of using them to develop the type for additional roles as well. The Mirage IIIA were almost 2 meters longer than the Mirage III prototype, had an enlarged wing of 17.3 per cent greater area, a chord reduced to 4.5 per cent, and an Atar 09B turbojet capable of generating afterburning thrust of up to 58.9 kN (13,200 lbf). The SEPR 841 rocket engine
8300-588: The type remained a fairly maneuverable aircraft and an effective opponent when engaged in close-range dogfighting . During its service with the French Air Force, the Mirage III was normally armed with assorted air-to-ground ordnance or R.550 Magic air-to-air missiles . Its design proved to be relatively versatile, allowing the fighter model to be readily adapted to serve in a variety of roles, including trainer , reconnaissance and ground-attack versions, along with several more extensive derivatives of
8400-436: The viability of the Mirage III development. On 25 June 1955, the first prototype of the MD.550 Mystère Delta, without afterburning engines or rocket motor and with an unusually large vertical stabilizer, conducted its maiden flight . In this configuration, it was able to attain a maximum speed of Mach 1.15. Following initial flights, it received a redesign that involved the vertical stabilizer being reduced in size along with
8500-417: Was a single-seat interceptor, with an Atar 09B turbojet engine, featuring an eyelid type variable exhaust. The Mirage IIIC was armed with twin 30 mm DEFA cannon fitted in the belly with the gun ports under the air intakes. Early production Mirage IIICs had three stores pylons, one under the fuselage and one under each wing; another outboard pylon was soon added to each wing, for a total of five, excluding
8600-413: Was also deleted, although it could carry external stores if desired. The AdA ordered 63 Mirage IIIBs (including the prototype), including five Mirage IIIB-1 trials aircraft, ten Mirage IIIB-2(RV) inflight refueling trainers with dummy nose probes, used for training Mirage IVA bomber pilots, and 20 Mirage IIIBE s, with the engine and some other features of the multi-role Mirage IIIE. One Mirage IIIB
8700-628: Was also involved in the project, producing the Atar engine under licence. Initially, Dassault provided a pair of pattern aircraft, the first of these flying in March 1963, which were transported to Australia and used to aid technicians at GAF in establishing their own assembly line for the type. GAF produced three variants: the Mirage IIIO(F) , which was an interceptor, the Mirage IIIO(A) ,
8800-470: Was also retained. The Mirage IIIA was also fitted with a Thomson-CSF -built Cyrano Ibis air intercept radar , operational-standard avionics, and a drag chute to shorten its landing roll. In May 1958, the first Mirage IIIA conducted its first flight. On 24 October of that year, this aircraft achieved a top speed of Mach 2.2 during one of its test flights, thus becoming the first Western European aircraft to exceed Mach 2 in level flight. In December 1959,
8900-559: Was based on the Mirage 5. Nevertheless, Mirage IIIB upgrades up to and including a full Kfir -type conversion have also been made available to third parties by IAI. South Africa was amongst the earliest export customers for the Mirage III, having initially ordered a batch of 15 Mirage IIIC for low-level ground attack operations, for which they were armed with the Nord Aviation AS-20 , along with three Mirage IIIBZ two-seater trainers. Further aircraft were ordered, including
9000-407: Was compounded by a lack of financial oversight, controversy over the manufacturing cost ultimately cumulated in the so-called "Mirage affair" and the resignation of several officials. It became clear that a single model was not capable of the performance desires; thus only 36 Mirage IIIS interceptors and 18 Mirage IIIRS reconnaissance aircraft were eventually produced by F+W Emmen. The Mirage IIIS
9100-441: Was fitted with a fly-by-wire flight control system in the mid-1970s and redesignated Mirage IIIB-SV ( Stabilité Variable ), it was used as a testbed for the system in the later Mirage 2000 . While the initial Mirage IIIC model was heading towards quantity production, Dassault turned its attention towards the development of a multirole / strike variant of the aircraft. Efforts in this direction would eventually materialized in
9200-609: Was installed in the PAF Mirages. Ten Lebanese Air Force aircraft were purchased in 2000 and in 2003 15 Mirage IIIEEs and 5 Mirage IIIDEs were obtained from the Spanish Air Force for cannibalized spare parts . From 2011, the PAF Mirage fleet was modified to carry Hatf-VIII (Ra'ad) cruise missiles and to accommodate aerial refueling probes of South African origin (presumably similar to those installed on
9300-418: Was installed under the rear of the fuselage on a removable adaptor; it could be removed and a similar-shaped fuel tank installed instead. The SEPR rocket enabled the Mirage IIIS to reach an altitude of 24,000 m with its additional thrust of 1500 kp; the rocket motor could be switched off and restarted a maximum of three times during a flight, and had a maximum running time of 80 seconds. In an emergency,
9400-530: Was keen to produce a successor to the Mirage I prototype; at one point, the firm was considering the production of an enlarged version, known as the Mirage II , which would have been furnished with a pair of Turbomeca Gabizo turbojet engines. However, the Mirage II ultimately remained unbuilt as it was bypassed for an even more ambitious design, being 30 per cent heavier than the original Mirage I, powered by
9500-471: Was missing from the total of 23 (a single aircraft had already been lost before the war). In 1991, because French production of the Mirage III and most spare parts had ceased, Pakistan acquired 50 Australian-built Mirages, which had been retired by the Royal Australian Air Force in 1988: 42 examples of the Mirage IIIO and eight twin-seat IIID. A further five incomplete aircraft were also obtained from
9600-418: Was never a realistic combat aircraft; the eight lift engines would likely have been a maintenance nightmare, and certainly their weight imposed a severe range and payload penalty on the aircraft. The Dassault Mirage IIIV was a supersonic -capable vertical takeoff/landing ( VTOL ) fighter aircraft. It shared the general layout of earlier Mirage fighters, but featured a long and relative broad fuselage along with
9700-421: Was never able to take off vertically and successfully attain supersonic flight during the same flight. The loss of the second prototype had effectively killed the program, and in fact killed any prospect of an operational Mach 2 vertical take-off fighter for decades. The competing Hawker P.1154 had been cancelled in 1965 by the government just as the prototypes were under construction; however, its subsonic cousin,
9800-427: Was produced in large numbers for both the French Air Force and a wide number of export customers. Prominent overseas operators of the fighter included Argentina , Australia , South Africa , Pakistan and Israel , as well as a number of non-aligned nations. Often considered to be a second-generation fighter aircraft, the Mirage III experienced a lengthy service life with several of these operators; for some time,
9900-678: Was this element of the design that has been attributed as being a major contributing factor to the cost overruns which impacted the programme. Many elements of the cockpit and ancillary electronics of the Mirage IIIV were later reused on the conventional Mirage IIIF, which later re-designated as the Mirage F1 . Data from Modern Combat Aircraft 23 - Mirage General characteristics Performance Related development Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era Related lists Dassault Mirage III The Dassault Mirage III ( French pronunciation: [miʁaʒ] )
10000-582: Was with considerably strengthened wings, airframe, and undercarriage as the Swiss Air Force had required robustness comparable to that of carrier-based planes. The reinforced airframes enabled aircraft to be moved by lifting them with a crane (hence the airframes also being fitted with four lifting points, retractable nosecones and lengthened nosewheel legs), as the aircraft caverns in the mountains that Swiss Air Force uses as bunkers offer very little space to maneuver parked aircraft. Another benefit of
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