Dassault Mirage III / 5 / 50

With the Mirage II project abandoned, the Dassault engineers used the preview experience with the MD.550 and designed a bigger aircraft designed later Mirage III-001. Essentially an extrapolation of the Mirage I and retaining the 5% thickness/chord ratio 60° delta wing, the Mirage III was substantially larger and some 30% heavier. The new wing was based on the “area ruling”. It was powered by a SNECMA Atar 101G-1 turbojet with an afterburning thrust of 4400kg and had provision for a 1500kg SEPR 66 rocket. First flown on 17 November 1956, the single-seat Mirage III prototype attained Mach=1.52 at 11600m during its sixth flight on 30 January 1957. After the installation of the SEPR rocket motor and introduction of manually-operated half-cones in the air intakes, the speed of Mach=1.8 was reached on 19 September 1957.

To reach Mach 2 modifications were necessary. The wing was redesigned and the aircraft fitted with one SNECMA Atar 9B with 6.000 Kg thrust and the SEPR 841 liquid-fuel rocket motor with 1.689Kg of auxiliary thrust. The new aircraft received the designation Mirage IIIA and 10 units were produced. These were almost two metre longer (6.6 feet) than the Mirage III prototype, had a wing with 17.3% more area and the chord reduced to 4.5%.

Equipped with an SEPR 84, the first Mirage IIIA flew on 12 May 1958, this model eventually attaining Mach=2.2, and the tenth and last joined the test programme on 15 December 1959. The aircraft were fitted with Thompson-CSF Cyrano Ibis air intercept radar, operational avionics, and a drag chute to shorten landing roll. The Mirage IIIA was the first European aircraft to exceed Mach 2 in level flight. A number of prototypes of the Mirage IIIA single seat interceptor were demonstrated at the 1959 Paris Air Show.

One pre-series Mirage IIIA was fitted with a 7258kg Rolls-Royce Avon 67 as the prototype Mirage IIIO for Australian evaluation and first flew on 13 February 1961.

 

In total, 95 Mirage IIICs and 64 Mirage IIIBs were ordered by the Armée de L’Air, with the deliveries beginning in July 1961. The type was also exported to Switzerland (one IIICS); South Africa (16 IIICZ) and Israel (72 IIICJ). The Armée de L’Air used his IIICs until 1988, when the last operational aircrafts where retired

In 1964 Switzerland, to offset unexpectedly high costs of modifying Mirage III-C it was buying from France, was to settle for 57 aircraft instead of 100 on original order. Because of special radar equipment specified by Swiss defense officials for inclusion in its III-C’s to be assembled in Switzerland, per unit costs had risen 60% over the original estimate of $200 million. Curtailment of order will keep the total outlay at approximately initial budget figures.

In 1967 the Israelis used their Mirage IIICJ fighters against his neighbour’s enemies on the "Six-Day War". On the morning of June 5, 1967, the Heyl Ha` Avir (Israeli Air Force) performed pre-emptive strikes on the Syrian, Egyptian and Jordanian air forces, destroying aircraft on the ground with cannon fire and breaking up runways with French "runway dibber" bombs.

In December 1982, 19 Mirage IIICJs, all re-engined with Atar 9C turbojets, were transferred from Israel to Argentina where some remained in service in the early 1990s as the last of the IIIC sub-type of the Mirage.

 

With the Mirage IIIC in production, Dassault was also considering a multirole / strike variant of the aircraft, which materialised as the Mirage IIIE.

The most obviously difference of the Mirage IIIE from the IIIC is an extension of 30 cm (1 foot) on the forward fuselage, increasing the size of the avionics bay behind the cockpit. The fuel capacity was also increased as the Mirage IIIC had marginal range and improvements were needed. Visually, the bottom edge of the canopy on a Mirage IIIE ends directly above the top lip of the air intake, while on the IIIC it ends visibly back of the lip.

The Mirage IIIE received the Thompson-CSF Cyrano II dual mode air / ground radar; a radar warning receiver (RWR) system with the antennas mounted in the tailfin; and an Atar 09C engine, with an afterburning thrust of 60.8 kN (6,200 kgp) with a petal-style variable exhaust. Armament is twin 30 mm DEFA-552 cannon, and five stores pylons, with a total store capacity of 4.000 kg. The first of three prototypes flew on April 1, 1961.

Depending on its variant, many Mirage IIIE were also fitted with a Marconi continuous-wave Doppler navigation radar radome on the bottom of the fuselage, under the cockpit. Optional equipment was a HF antenna that was fitted as a forward extension to the tailfin. On some Mirages, the leading edge of the tailfin was a straight line, while on those with the HF antenna the leading edge had a sloping extension forward.

The Armée de L’Air received its first Mirage IIIEs on 14 January 1964, and a total of 192 aircrafts entered in French service while 331 more aircraft were exported. The customers were Argentina, Brazil, Lebanon, Pakistan, South Africa, Spain, and Venezuela.

The Australian version, designated Mirage IIIO, was based on the French IIIE and incorporated 178 engineering changes to the aircraft, though most were of a minor nature. Two versions delivered to the RAAF were the IIIO(F) primarily for the intercept role, and the IIIO(A) for the attack task. Dassault supplied two pattern IIIO(F) aircraft (A3-1 & 2), the first of which flew on 14 March 1963 in France. After shipment to Australia it first flew in Australian airspace at Avalon in January 1964.

A3-3 to A3-8 were also built in France but assembled in Australia, A3-3 taking to the air in November 1963. A3-9 & A3-15 were supplied with decreasing amounts of French componentry with A3-16 onward being regarded as Australian built. Some mid-production Mirage IIIOs had French built fuselages, due mainly to union problems at the Government Aircraft Factory (GAF) delaying production. The 100th and last Mirage IIIO was delivered to the RAAF in December 1968.

16 Mirage IIID (A3-101 to A3-116) dual seat combat proficiency trainers were also delivered between 1963 and 1974.

The Mirage IIIO entered squadron service with the RAAF in August 1965 with 75 Squadron at Williamtown NSW. 76 Squadron took delivery of its first Mirages in September 1966, 3 Squadron & 77 Squadron both taking delivery in February 1979 and finally 79 Squadron being equipped in 1986. The Mirage was the first supersonic aircraft to serve with the RAAF and was the replacement for the Sabre as the service's front line fighter.

Mirages operated from bases at Williamtown, Darwin and Butterworth (Malaysia).

The introduction of the F/A-18 Hornet in1985 marked the beginning of the end of the Mirage in RAAF service, and by 1988 only 2 squadrons were still so equipped, 75 Squadron at Darwin and 79 Squadron at Butterworth.

The last official flight by a RAAF Mirage was on 8th February 1989 when A3-101 was flown to Woomera in SA to be put into storage.
All IIIO(F) aircraft were converted to IIIO(A) configuration 1967-79 and were finally withdrawn from service in 1988, the 50 surviving examples being procured by Pakistan in 1990.

After acquiring a single Mirage IIIC for trials, Switzerland built 36 Mirage IIIS interceptors (plus 18 IIIRS reconnaissance aircraft), these entering service in 1966 with the Flugwaffe, and, in the early 'nineties, the 30 surviving IIIS fighters were being rotated through an upgrade programme (including the provision of canards) at Emmen.

Switzerland, after considering the Grumman F-11F to update its air force, decided on the Mirage IIIC, primarily because of lower cost. But the sought to incorporate F-11F radar systems in Mirages built in Switzerland. Costs originally estimated at less than $200 million for 100 Mirage III-C had by August 1964 costs had risen to well over $300 million, with the first plane not yet delivered.

Exports by Dassault were: Argentina (17 IIIEAs), Brazil (20 IIIEBRs), Lebanon (10 IIIELs), Pakistan (18 IIIEPs), South Africa (17 IIIEZs), Spain (24 IIIEEs) and Venezuela (10 IIIEVs). The Brazilian IIIEBRs, ordered in 1970, were upgraded with canards, pressure refuelling, etc, from 1989, and the total quoted includes four ex-Armee de l'Air delivered in 1988 in the upgraded configuration. The South African IIIEZs were rebuilt to Cheetah EZ standard by Atlas Aircraft. In 1989, Dassault Aviation offered an upgrade of ex-Armee de l'Air aircraft as the Mirage IIIEX, this having canards, flight refuelling capability and a lengthened nose.

Responding to Israeli suggestions, Dassault-Breguet produced a simplified (and cheaper) version of the Mirage III, designated Mirage 5, making its first flight on 19 May 1967 using the same airframe and power plant as the Mirage IIIE. Optimized for visual ground attack and interception, the aircraft lacked several features including the Cyrano II nose-mounted radar (replaced by a simple radar rangefinder) and other avionics. Retaining Mach 2 performance and the ability to operate from semi-prepared strips, the Mirage 5 emerged with certain enhancement, such as greater range, easier maintenance and seven weapon attachment points beneath its fuselage and wings with a 4000kg weapon capability. No sooner had this simplification been achieved, and the first of many orders booked, than the process began of developing a family of aircraft based on the Mirage 5 and incorporating various degrees of sophistication according to customer preference

The Mirage 5 was evolved initially to meet an Israeli requirement, but 50 aircraft originally ordered for Israel's Defence Force/Air Force were, in the event, absorbed by France's Armee de l'Air (as Mirage 5Fs).

After the camera-nosed Mirage 5R and two-seat Mirage 5D trainer came versions equipped with SAGEM inertial navigation and nav/attack systems incorporating a head-up display and the choice of Aida II radar and an air-to-surface laser ranger or Agave multi-purpose radar. These options produced a plethora of sub-marks, such as the Egyptian Mirage 5E2 which incorporate the nav/attack system of the Alpha jet MS2.

Customers for the single-seat fighter version of the Mirage 5 were: Abu Dhabi (12 5ADs and 14 5EADs), Belgium (63 5BAs), Colombia (14 5COAs), Egypt (51 5SDEs and 16 5E2s), Gabon (three 5Gs and four 5G2s), Libya (53 5Ds and 32 5DEs), Pakistan (28 5PAs and 30 5PA2s and 5PA3s), Peru (32 5Ps and 5P3s), Venezuela (four 5Vs) and Zaire (14 5Ms). The equipment fit of the Mirage 5s varied widely, according to customer requirements, the Mirage 5E, (eg, 5DE and 5SDE), for example, having a similar equipment standard to that of the Mirage IIIE.

Ten Mirage 5Ps were transferred to Argentina from Peru in June 1982, and production of an essentially similar aircraft was undertaken during 1970-72 in Israel as the IAI Nesher. Total production of the Mirage 5 (including tactical reconnaissance and two-seat training versions) amounted to 531 aircraft.

Deriving its designation from its SNECMA Atar 9K-50 engine, the Mirage 50 retained the basic airframe of the Mirage III and 5, and the prototype - previously that of the Milan - was flown on 15 April 1975. Apart from the engine, providing an afterburning thrust of 7200kg, the Mirage 50 introduced revised air intakes to cater for this engine's greater mass flow and some equipment repositioning to allow for the 160kg engine weight penalty. By comparison with earlier first-generation Mirage deltas, the Mirage 50 offered a 15% decrease in take-off distance, a 35% improvement in initial climb, an improved ceiling and enhanced manoeuvrability. With a built-in armament of two 30mm cannon, it was suited for air superiority missions with dogfight missiles, air patrol and supersonic interception, and ground attack combined with self-defence capability. It was offered with Agave or Cyrano IVM multi-function radar and it could carry the full range of operational stores developed for the Mirage III and 5. Also becoming available were the non-radar Mirage 50FC and radar-equipped Mirage 50C delivered to Chile. The first customer for the Mirage 50 was Chile which ordered 14 (plus two two-seat trainers). The first eight supplied in 1980 as Mirage 50FGs were, in fact, refurbished and re-engined ex-Armee de l'Air Mirage 5Fs. The remaining six single-seaters which followed in 1982-83 were new-build Mirage 50CHs, these and the earlier 50FCs being upgraded as ENAER Panteras in the early 'nineties. During 1990, Dassault initiated the upgrading of Venezuela's surviving 10 Mirage IIIEVs and 5Vs to Mirage 50EV standard, six new-build 50EVs (plus one two-seat 50DV) for Venezuela bringing production of the first-generation Mirage delta to an end in 1991 with 1,422 aircraft delivered.

Models offered by Dassault included the Mirage 3-50 and Mirage 5-50 versions of the Mirage III and Mirage 5, both of which are powered by Atar 9K-50 engines.

Evolved from the Mirage IIIE, the Mirage IIIR first flew in prototype form on 31 October 1961.
Like most photographic/reconnaissance derivatives of fighter aircraft, the Mirage IIIR has a redesigned nose section, deletion of the Cyrano II fire-control radar permitting the installation of up to five (forward, downward and sideways-looking) cameras for day or night operation. To permit armed reconnaissance missions to be undertaken, the Mirage IIIR can be equipped with two 30-mm DEFA cannon, and it is also able to carry various types of ordnance underwing, the pilot being provided with a reflector gun sight and low-altitude bombing system equipment to assist in weapons delivery,

 

An initial batch of 50 aircraft was acquired by the French air force, these later joined by 20 examples of the Mirage IIIRD, this latter variant featuring a number of detail changes over the original production model, such as an improved navigation radar. These aircraft were progressively replaced by the newer Mirage F.1CR.
In addition to those aircraft acquired for service with the French air force, reconnaissance models of the Mirage have found favour overseas, close to 100 being built for the export market. These include variants of the Mirage
IIIR for Pakistan (13 Mirage IIIRP aircraft), South Africa (eight Mirage IIIRZ aircraft) and Switzerland (18 Mirage IIIRS aircraft) plus numerous examples of reconnaissance-configured Mirage 5s, the latter being a simplified Mirage intended specifically for export. Customers for the Mirage 5R include Abu Dhabi, Belgium, Colombia, Egypt, Gabon and Libya which between them have taken delivery of approximately 50 aircraft.

The prototype Mirage IIING (Nouvelle Generation) flew on December 21, 1982. Based on the standard Mirage 111/5/50 airframe, it is fitted with fixed intake-mounted canards, swept wing-leading-edge extensions, fly-by-wire flight controls, and an Atar 9K50 engine. The weapons systems comprises a Cyrano IV or Agave radar, INS, and a headup display. The fly-by-wire control system was derived from that of the Mirage 2000, plus provision for in-flight refuelling, a SNECMA Atar 9K-50 turbojet affording a full afterburning thrust of 7200kg.
The maximum take-off weight was increased by comparison with the Mirage IIIE or 5, four lateral stores stations were introduced on the fuselage, and performance improvements included (by comparison with the IIIE) a 20-25% gain in take-off distance, 40% in time to altitude, a 3050m increase in supersonic ceiling, a three-minute improvement in intercept time and comparably impressive gains in acceleration, instantaneous turn rate and combat air patrol time. No production order was placed for the Mirage 3 NG and only one prototype was tested.

Israel developed some local variants of the Mirage 5, the IAI Nesher and the IAI KfirC2 and C7.

Gallery

Variants:

Mirage IIIA
Mirage IIIC
Mirage IIICJ
Mirage IIICZ
Mirage IIIE
Mirage IIIEA
Mirage IIIEO
Mirage IIIEBR (F-103E)
Mirage IIIEE
Mirage IIIEL
Mirage IIIEP
Mirage IIIS
Mirage IIIEV
Mirage 5F
Mirage 5BA
Mirage 5COA
Mirage 5AD
Mirage 5G
Mirage 5D
Mirage 5PA
Mirage 5P
Mirage 5M
Mirage 50C
Mirage IIIR
Mirage IIIRZ
Mirage 5BR
Mirage 5COR
Mirage 5SDR
Mirage IIIRP
Mirage IIIRS
Mirage IIIB
Mirage IIIBE
Mirage IIIBZ
Mirage IIIDA
Mirage IIID
Mirage 5BD
Mirage IIIDBR (F-103D)
Mirage 5COD
Mirage IIIEE
Mirage 5DG
Nesher T
Mirage IIIDP
Mirage 5DP3
Mirage IIIDS
Mirage 50DV
Nesher
IAI Dagger A
IAI Kfir C1/C2/C7/C10, F-21
IAI Kfir TC2/TC7
Cheetah B/C/D/E
ENAER Pantera 50C
Mirage IIIK
Mirage IIIM
Mirage IIIW
Mirage IIIV
Balzac V


Mirage III / 5 / 50 users

Abu Dhabi
12 5AD + 5 EAD (1 seat)
3 5DAD 5 RAD (2 seat)

Argentina
19 IIICJ + 17 IIIEA + 10 5P (1 seat)
3 IIIBJ + 4 IIIDA (2 seat)

Australia
49 IIIO(F) + 51 IIIO(A) (1 seat)
16 IIID (2 seat)

Belgium
63 5BA (1 seat)
16 5BD (2 seat)
27 5BR (Reconnaissance)

Brazil
12 IIIEBR + 10 IIIEBR-2 (1 seat)
6 IIIDBR + 4 IIIDBR-2 (2 seat)

Chile
6 50C + 8 50FC (1 seat)
3 50DC (2 seat)

Colombia
14 5COA + 12 IAI Kfir-C2 (1 seat)
2 5COD + 1 Kfir TC7 (2 seat)
2 5COR (Reconnaissance)

Egypt
54 5SDE + 16 5E2 (1 seat)
6 5SDD (2 seat)
6 5SDR (Reconnaissance)

France
95 IIIC + 183 IIIE + 58 5F (1 seat)
27 IIIB + 5 IIIB1 + 10 IIIB2(RV) + 20 IIIBE (2 seat)
50 IIIR + 20 IIIRD (Reconnaissance)

Gabon
3 5G + 2 5G-2 (1 seat)
4 5DG (2 seat)

Israel
72 IIICJ (1 seat)
5 IIIBJ (2 seat)

Lebanon
10 IIIEL (1 seat)
2 IIIBL (2 seat)

Libya
53 5D + 32 5DE (1 seat)
15 5DD (2 seat)
10 5DR (Reconnaissance)

Pakistan
18 IIIEP + 43 III(0) + 28 5PA + 28 5PA2 + 12 5PA3 (1 seat)
5 IIIDP + 7 IIID + 2 5DPA2 (2 seat)
13 IIIRP (Reconnaissance)

Peru
22 5P + 10 5P3 + 2 5P4 (1 seat)
4 5DP + 2 5DP3 (2 seat)

South Africa
16 IIICZ + 17 IIIEZ (1 seat)
3 IIIBZ + 3 IIIDZ + 11 IIID2Z (2 seat)
4 IIIRZ + 4 IIIR2Z (Reconnaissance)

Spain
24 IIIEE (1 seat)
6 IIIDE (2 seat)

Switzerland
1 IIICS + 36 IIIS (1 seat)
4 IIIBS + 2 IIIDS (2 seat)
18 IIIRS (Reconnaissance)

Venezuela
7 IIIEV + 6 5V + 9 50EV (1 seat)
3 IIIDV + 1 50DV (2 seat)

Zaire/ Congo
8 5M (1 seat)
3 5DM (2 seat)


Mirage III / 5 / 50 specifications

Mirage III-001
Engine: SNECMA Atar 101G-1 turbojet, 4400kg afterburning + 1500kg SEPR 66 rocket.
Wing thickness/chord ratio: 5%
Wing sweep: 60° delta
Seats: 1
Max speed turbojet: Mach=1.52 at 11600m
Max speed SEPR rocket motor: Mach=1.8

Mirage IIIA
Engine: SNECMA Atar 9B, 6000 kg and SEPR 84 liquid-fuel rocket motor 1689 kg thrust.
Wing thickness/chord ratio: 4.5%.
Max speed: Mach=2.2

Mirage IIIA / prototype Mirage IIIO
Engine: Rolls-Royce Avon 67, 7258kg

Mirage IIIB
Engine: SNECMA Atar 9B-3 turbojet, 6200 kg and SEPR 841 rocket.
Seats: 2
Armament: two 30mm cannons DEFA
Pylons: 3 later 5

Mirage III BS
Engine: SNECMA Atar 09 C3, 41693 N / 4250 kp
Length: 50.525 ft / 15.4 m
Height: 14.764 ft / 4.5 m
Wingspan: 26.969 ft / 8.22 m
Wing area: 374.587 sq.ft / 34.8 sq.m
Max take off weight: 23814.0 lb / 10800.0 kg
Weight empty: 14332.5 lb / 6500.0 kg
Max. weight carried: 9481.5 lb / 4300.0 kg
Max. speed: 1296 kts / 2400 km/h
Initial climb rate: 12992.13 ft/min / 66.0 m/s
Service ceiling: 59055 ft / 18000 m
Wing load: 63.55 lb/sq.ft / 310.0 kg/sq.m
Range: 1080 nm / 2000 km
Endurance: 1 h
Crew: 2

Mirage IIICJ
re-engined with Atar 9C turbojets

Mirage IIIE
Engine: Atar 09C engine 6200-kg (13,668-1b) afterburning thrust
Wing span: 26 ft 11.5 in (8.22 m)
Length: 15.03 m / 49 ft 4 in
Height: 4.25 m / 13 ft 11 in
Wing area: 34.85 sq.m / 375.12 sq ft
Max take-off weight: 13700 kg / 30203 lb
Empty weight: 7050 kg / 15543 lb
Max speed: Mach 2.2 / 2350 km/h / 1460 mph
Range: 2400 km / 1491 miles
Armament: 2 x 30 mm DEFA-552 cannon
Hardpoints: 5
External load: 4000 kg

Mirage IIIR
Engine: one SNECMA Atar 9C turbojet, 6200-kg (13,670-1b) afterburning
Maximum speed at sea level 1390 km/h (863 mph) or Mach 1.14
Maximum speed at altitude 2350 km/h (1,460 mph) or Mach 2.2
Range clean condition 1600 km (1,000 miles)
Ferry range external fuel 4000 km (2,485 mile)
Empty weight 6600 kg (14,550 lb)
Maximum take-off 13500 kg (29,760 lbs)
Wingspan 8.22 m (27 ft 0 in)
Length 15.50 m (50 ft 10¼ in)
Height 4.25 m (13 ft 11 ½ in)
Wing area: 35.00 sq.m (377 sq.ft)
Armament: two 30-mm DEFA cannon

Mirage IIING
SNECMA Atar 9K-50 turbojet 7200kg afterburning

Mirage 5
Max take-off weight: 13700 kg / 30203 lb
Loaded weight: 7150 kg / 15763 lb
Wingspan: 8.22 m / 26 ft 12 in
Length: 15.56 m / 51 ft 1 in
Height: 4.25 m / 13 ft 11 in
Wing area: 34.85 sq.m / 375.12 sq ft
Max. speed: 2335 km/h / 1451 mph
Range: 2500 km / 1553 miles

Mirage 50
Engine: 1 x SNECMA Atar 9K-50 turbojet, 7200kg
Max take-off weight: 13700 kg / 30203 lb
Loaded weight: 7150 kg / 15763 lb
Wingspan: 8.22 m / 26 ft 12 in
Length: 15.56 m / 51 ft 1 in
Height: 4.5 m / 14 ft 9 in
Wing area: 35 sq.m / 376.74 sq ft
Max. speed: 2.2M
Ceiling: 18000 m / 59050 ft
Range: 1300 km / 808 miles
Armament: 2 x 30mm cannon

Mirage 50DV
two-seat

Mirage 3-50
Engine: 1 x SNECMA Atar 9K-50 turbojet

Mirage 5-50
Engine: one 7200-kg (15, 873-1b) thrust SNECMA Atar 9K-50 afterburning turbojet.
Wing span 8,22 m (27 ft 0 in)
Length 15. 56 m (51 ft ½ in)
Height 4.50 m (14 ft 9 in)
Wing area 35.00 sq.m (376,7 sq ft)
Maximum speed 2350 km/h (1,460 mph) or Mach 2,2 at altitude
Maximum speed 1390 km/h (863 mph) or Mach 1.13 at sea level
Initial climb rate 11100 m (36,415 ft) per minute
Service ceiling 18000 m (59,055 ft)
Combat radius lo-lo-lo with 800 kg (1,764 lb) bomb: 630 km (391 miles)
Empty weight: 7150 kg (15,763 lb)
Normal take-off, clean: 9900 kg (21,825 lb)
Maximum take-off: 13700 kg (30,203 lb)
Armament: two 30-mm DEFA cannon (with 125 rpg) in fuselage
five weapon pylons for 4000 kg (8,818 lb)

Dassault Mirage III

Dassault Mirage 5

Dassault Mirage 3 NG