Dassault Mirage III

Origins 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 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. In 1952, the French government issued its specification, calling for a lightweight, all-weather interceptor, capable of climbing to in 6 minutes along with the ability to reach Mach 1.3 in level flight. 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 and being capable of achieving high speeds when flown in a straight line. 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. Flight testing 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 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. 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. The new Atar-equipped fighter design received the name Mirage III. 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 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 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. One Mirage IIIA was powered by a Rolls-Royce Avon 67 engine capable of generating of thrust, to serve as 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. Mirage IIIC and Mirage IIIB 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 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 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 R.550 Magic and was also armed with the radar guided Matra R.530 Missile on the center line pylon. Mirage IIIBZ 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 ''Armée de l'Air also placed an order for a two-seat Mirage IIIB operational trainer. One Mirage IIIB 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. Mirage IIIE 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. 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, 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. 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 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. ==Exports and license production==

Exports The largest export customers for Mirage IIICs built in France were Israel, their principal variant being 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 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 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 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 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. 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 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. • 70 Mirage IIICJ single-seat fighters, received between April 1962 and July 1964. • Two Mirage IIIRJ single-seat photo-reconnaissance aircraft, received in March 1964. • Four Mirage IIIBJ two-seat combat trainers, three received in 1966 and one in 1968. Initial Israeli operations were conducted in a close cooperative relationship with both Dassault and France itself, the former sharing large amounts of operational data and experience with the other parties. South Africa 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. 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 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, the targeting of which was aided by a pilot's helmet mounted sight. Pakistan 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 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 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 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 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 the Atlas Cheetah). Subsequently, these aircraft have been modified to accept additional equipment and munitions, such as Chinese PL-12 air-to-air missiles. License production 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 Australia first showed an official interest in replacing its CAC Sabre with 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). The Australian government decided that the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) would receive 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. 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. 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 was with considerably strengthened wings, airframe, and undercarriage as the Swiss Air Force had required robustness comparable to that of carrier-based planes. at the Flieger-Flab-Museum In 1967, the Mirage IIIS entered operational service with the Swiss Air Force; the Mirage IIIRS followed two years later. During their service life, Swiss Mirages received several upgrades, including the installation of a Martin-Baker Mk 6 ejection seat, a radar warning receiver, and a TRACOR AN/ALE-40 chaff/flare dispenser positioned at the back under the rear of the fuselage. Starting in 1988, canards and strakes designed by FFA and F+W in cooperation with Dassault, and produced in Switzerland, were fitted to the type. In 1999, Switzerland phased out the last of its Mirage IIIS fleet; the remaining Mirage IIIRS, BS and DS variants were taken out of service in 2003. ==Operational history==

in 1967 1973 Israel On 29 November 1966, the pilot of an Israeli Air Force Dassault Mirage III shot down two Egyptian MiG-19s which were trying to intercept an Israeli reconnaissance Piper J-3 Cub in Israeli airspace. The first MiG was destroyed with a R.530 radar guided missile fired from less than a mile away, marking the first aerial kill for the French-made missile. The second MiG-19 was dispatched with cannon fire. Six-Day War During the Six-Day War, fought between 5 and 10 June 1967, Israel deployed a small detachment of 12 Mirages (comprising 4 permanently in the air and 8 at a high state of readiness on the ground) to defend the skies of Israel against attacks by hostile bombers, virtually all other Mirages were equipped with bombs and deployed on bombing raids against Arab air bases. Reportedly, the Mirage's performance as a bomber was modest at best, perhaps due to its limited payload capacity. During the first day of combat, a total of 6 MiG fighters were claimed to have been shot down by Mirage pilots. During the following days, Israeli Mirages typically performed as fighters; out of a claimed total of 58 Arab aircraft shot down in air combat during the conflict, 48 were accounted for by Mirage pilots. Yom Kippur War During the 1973 Yom Kippur War, the Mirage fleet was solely engaged in air-to-air operations. ACIG.org claims that at least 26 Mirages and Neshers were lost in air-to-air combat during the war. Contrary to these claims, formal Israeli sources claim that only five Israeli Air Force aircraft were shot down in air-to-air dogfights. In comparison, 106 Syrian and Egyptian aircraft were claimed shot down by Israeli Mirage IIICJ planes, and another 140 aircraft were claimed by the Nesher derivative. South Africa The South African Air Force inducted it's first Mirage IIICZ interceptors between December 1962 and March 1964, taking delivery of 16. South Africa continued acquiring Mirage IIIs, with three BZ trainers between 1962 and 1964, and four IIIRZs (Reconnaissance variants) between 1966 and 1967. The interceptors formed No.2 Squadron "Cheetahs" in 1962. Border War During the South African Border War, the South African Air Force operated a force of 16 Mirage IIICZ interceptors, 17 Mirage IIIEZ multirole fighter-bombers, and 4 Mirage IIIRZ reconnaissance fighters, which were typically flown from bases in South-West Africa. Despite being recognised as an exceptional dogfighter, the Mirage III was often criticised for lacking the range to make it effective over long distances, such as during strike operations against People's Liberation Army of Namibia (PLAN) insurgents based in neighbouring Angola. South African pilots also found the high-nosed, delta-winged Mirage III relatively difficult to land on the rudimentary airstrips near the operational area. Nevertheless, the Mirage IIIRZ continued to be deployed for photo reconnaissance missions over Angolan targets, as the SAAF had only one other aircraft equipped for this role, the even more antiquated English Electric Canberra. Afghanistan and the War on Terror The Mirage III was a major frontline combat type for the PAF in the 1970s and 1980s, and consequently took up early combat air patrols near the Afghan border following the Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan. During these Missions, two MiG-21s of the DRAAF were claimed by Mirage IIIs of No. 5 Squadron but these kills were never confirmed (16 April 1986 and 10 May 1986). They were also allegedly deployed against the Northern Alliance, and during the war on terror, Pakistani Mirage-III & Mirage-V jets were deployed in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province after the spillover of militants from Afghanistan in 2001. They performed Close Air Support missions throughout the conflict. Operation Swift Retort in 2013 In February 2019, the Indian Air Force bombed an alleged terrorist training camp in Balakot after violating Pakistan's airspace. In response, then Prime Minister Imran Khan ordered the Pakistan Air Force to perform retaliatory airstrikes on Indian military installations at Indian Administered Kashmir. The retaliatory airstrikes were codenamed "Operation Swift Retort" and for this purpose, Two Dassault Mirage 5PAs armed with H-4 SOW glide bombs and two dual seat Mirage IIIDAs from the No. 15 Squadron were deployed for the mission. In the early hours of 27 February, the Mirages carried out the airstrikes while JF-17s and F-16s from other squadrons provided escort and CAP. The Mirage 5PAs dropped their payloads while the Weapon Systems Officers in the Mirage IIIDAs guided the bombs to their respective targets via data link. Argentina Falklands War The Argentine Air Force deployed their Mirage IIIEA fleet during the 1982 Falklands War. Their ability to function as long-range strike aircraft was dramatically hindered by the type's lack of any aerial refueling capability; even when furnished with a pair of 2,000-litre (550-gallon) drop tanks to carry extra fuel, the Mirages (and Israeli-built Daggers) would be forced to fly up to the absolute limit of their range in order to even reach the British fleet from the mainland. Normally, the fighters would be sent to engage patrolling British Harrier jets and to provide air cover to a Douglas A-4 Skyhawk strike force; however, they would have no more than five minutes at most over the combat area before having to embark upon the return flight back to their airfields. Usually, Argentine Mirages were flown with an armament consisting of one Matra R530 or a pair of Magic 1 AAMs. They only entered direct combat once, resulting in one of the Mirages being shot down by an AIM-9L Sidewinder fired by a Harrier, and another destroyed by friendly fire after attempting to land on the runway at Port Stanley when nearly out of fuel. The fighters were frequently deployed to conduct diversion flights, flying at a very high altitude to force a response from the patrolling British Harriers to improve the chances of survival and success of the attack force. Additionally, a number of Mirages were also kept on a high state of alert against possible Avro Vulcan raids upon targets within the Argentine mainland, as well as to serve as a deterrence against aggressive flights by neighbouring Chile conducted upon Argentina's western border. ==Variants==

; M.D.550 Mystère-Delta: Single-seat delta-wing interceptor-fighter prototype, fitted with a delta vertical tail surface, equipped with a retractable tricycle landing gear, powered by two thrust M.D.30 (Armstrong Siddeley Viper) turbojet engines; one built. on AFB Swartkop ; Mirage IIIB : Two-seat tandem trainer aircraft fitted with one piece canopy. Lacks radar, cannon armament and provision for booster rocket. Prototype (based on the IIIA) first flown on 20 October 1959. Followed by 26 production IIIBs based on IIIC for French Air Force and one for Centre d'essais en vol (CEV) test centre. • Mirage IIIB-1 : Trials aircraft. Five built. • Mirage IIIBE : Two-seat training aircraft based on Mirage IIIE for the French Air Force, similar to the Mirage IIID. 20 built. • Mirage IIIBL : Mirage IIIBE for Lebanon Air Force; two built. • Mirage IIIBS : Mirage IIIB for the Swiss Air Force; four built. • Mirage IIICJ : Mirage IIIC for the Israeli Air Force, fitted with simpler electronics and with provision for the booster rocket removed. 72 delivered between 1962 and 1964. 19 later sold to Argentina and delivered between December 1982 and February 1983. • Mirage IIIC-2 : Conversion of French Mirage IIIE with Atar 09K-6 engine. One aircraft converted, later re-converted to Mirage IIIE. • Mirage IIID : Two-seat training aircraft for the RAAF. Built under licence in Australia; 16 built. • Mirage IIIDA : Two-seat trainer for the Argentine Air Force. Two supplied 1973 and a further two in 1982. • Mirage IIIDBR : Two-seat trainer for the Brazilian Air Force, designated F-103D. Four newly built aircraft delivered from 1972. Two ex-French Air Force Mirage IIIBEs delivered 1984 to make up for losses in accidents. • Mirage IIIDBR-2 : Refurbished and updated aircraft for the Brazilian Air Force, with more modern avionics and canard foreplanes. Two ex-French aircraft sold to Brazil in 1988, with remaining two DBRs upgraded to same standard. • Mirage IIIDE : Two-seat trainer for Spanish Air Force. Seven built with local designation CE.11. • Mirage IIIDP : Two-seat trainer for the Pakistan Air Force. Five built. • Mirage IIIDS : Two-seat trainer for the Swiss Air Force. Two delivered in 1983. • Mirage IIIDZ : Two-seat trainer for the South African Air Force; three delivered in 1969. ;Mirage IIIE: Single-seat tactical strike and fighter-bomber aircraft, with fuselage plug to accommodate an additional avionics bay behind the cockpit. Fitted with Cyrano II radar with additional air-to-ground modes compared to Mirage IIIC, improved navigation equipment, including TACAN and a Doppler radar in undernose bulge. Powered by an Atar 09C-3 turbojet engine. 183 built for the French Air Force. • Mirage IIIEA : Mirage IIIE for the Argentine Air Force. 17 built. • Mirage IIIEL : Mirage IIIE for the Lebanese Air Force, omitting doppler radar, including HF antenna. 10 delivered from 1967 to 1969. • Mirage IIIEP : Mirage IIIE for the Pakistan Air Force. 18 delivered 1967–1969. • Mirage IIIEZ : Mirage IIIE for the South African Air Force; 17 delivered 1965–1972. ;Mirage IIIR: Single-seat all-weather reconnaissance aircraft, with radar replaced by camera nose carrying up to five cameras. Aircraft based on IIIE airframe but with simpler avionics similar to that fitted to the IIIC and retaining cannon armament of fighters. Two prototypes and 50 production aircraft built for the French Air Force. • Mirage IIIRD : Single-seat all-weather reconnaissance aircraft for the French Air Force, equipped with improved avionics, including undernose doppler radar as in the Mirage IIIE. Provision to carry infrared linescan, Doppler navigation radar or side looking airborne radar (SLAR) in interchangeable pod. 20 built. • Mirage IIIRP2 : Export version of the Mirage IIIR for the Pakistan Air Force, with provision to carry the infrared linescan pod; 10 built. • Mirage IIIRZ : Export version of the Mirage IIIR for the South African Air Force; four built. • Mirage IIIR2Z : Export version of the Mirage IIIR for the South African Air Force, fitted with an Atar 9K-50 turbojet engine; four built. ;Mirage IIIS: Single-seat all-weather interceptor fighter aircraft for the Swiss Air Force, based on the IIIE, but fitted with a Hughes TARAN 18 radar and fire-control system and armed with AIM-4 Falcon and Sidewinder air-to-air missiles. Built under licence in Switzerland; 36 built. ;Mirage IIIT: One aircraft converted into an engine testbed, initially fitted with a subsonic Pratt & Whitney/SNECMA TF104, but retrofitted with a supersonic Pratt & Whitney/SNECMA TF106 turbofan engine. ;Mirage IIIEX: Proposed version, first flight April 8th 1988, fitted with updated avionics, powered by an Atar 9K-50 turbojet engine. Unlike the Mirage IIING, it featured the full forward fuselage of the Mirage F1, including the radome, cockpit, and all the way back to the intakes, and the canards by comparison were located further aft on the intakes. It did not use the unique leading edge root extensions of the earlier Mirage IIING, but instead featured strakes under the canopy area. A total of 1,403 Mirage III/5/50 aircraft of all types were built by Dassault. There were a few unbuilt variants: • A Mirage IIIK that was powered by a Rolls-Royce Spey turbofan was offered to the British Royal Air Force. • The Mirage IIIM was a carrier-based variant, with catapult spool and arresting hook, for operation with the French Aéronavale. • The Mirage IIIW was a lightweight fighter version, proposed for a US competition, with Dassault partnered with Boeing. The aircraft would have been produced by Boeing, but it lost to the Northrop F-5. Derivatives Mirage 5/Mirage 50 The next major variant, the Mirage 5, grew out of a request to Dassault from the Israeli Air Force. The first Mirage 5 flew on 19 May 1967. It looked much like the Mirage III, except it had a long slender nose that extended the aircraft's length by about half a meter. The Mirage 5 itself led directly to the Israeli Nesher, either through a Mossad (Israeli intelligence) intelligence operation or through covert cooperation with AdA, depending upon which story is accepted. (See details in the Nesher article). In either case, the design gave rise to the Kfir, which can be considered a direct descendant of the Mirage III. Milan In 1968, Dassault, in cooperation with the Swiss, began work on a Mirage update known as the Milan ("Kite"). The main feature of the Milan was a pair of pop-out foreplanes in the nose, which were referred to as "moustaches". The moustaches were intended to provide better take-off performance and low-speed control for the attack role. The three initial prototypes were converted from existing Mirage fighters; one of these prototypes was nicknamed "Asterix", after the internationally popular French cartoon character, a tough little Gallic warrior with a huge moustache. A fully equipped prototype rebuilt from a Mirage IIIR flew in May 1970, and was powered by the uprated afterburning thrust SNECMA Atar 09K-50 engine, following the evaluation of an earlier model of this new series on the one-off Mirage IIIC2. The Milan also had updated avionics, including a laser designator and rangefinder in the nose. A second fully equipped prototype was produced for Swiss evaluation as the Milan S. The canards did provide significant handling benefits, but they had drawbacks. They blocked the pilot's forward view to an extent, and set up turbulence in the engine intakes. The Milan concept was abandoned in 1972, while work continued on achieving the same goals with canards. Mirage IIING Following the development of the Mirage 50, Dassault had experimented with yet another derivative of the original Mirage series, named the Mirage IIING (Nouvelle Génération, new generation). Like the Milan and Mirage 50, the IIING was powered by the Atar 9K-50 engine. The prototype, a conversion of a Mirage IIIR, flew on 21 December 1982. The Mirage IIING had a modified delta wing with leading-edge root extensions, plus a pair of fixed canards fitted above and behind the air intakes. The aircraft's avionics were completely modernized, making use of the parallel development effort underway for the next-generation Mirage 2000 fighter. Chiefly amongst these changes, the Mirage IIING used a fly-by-wire system to allow control over the aircraft's relaxed stability. The aircraft had an improved nav/attack system with inertial navigation and a head-up display. A variety of radars could be fitted, including the Cyrano IV and Agave and these could be supplemented by a laser rangefinder. The uprated engine and aerodynamics improved take-off and sustained turn performance. Ultimately, the type never went into production, but to an extent the Mirage IIING was a demonstrator for various technologies that could be and were featured in upgrades to existing Mirage IIIs and Mirage 5s. After 1989, enhancements derived from the Mirage IIING were incorporated into Brazilian Mirage IIIEs, as well as into four ex-''Armée de l'Air Mirage IIIEs that were transferred to Brazil in 1988. In 1989, Dassault offered a similar upgrade refit of ex-AdA Mirage IIIEs under the designation Mirage IIIEX'', featuring canards, a fixed in-flight refueling probe, a longer nose, new avionics, and other refinements. Balzac / Mirage IIIV One of the offshoots of the Mirage III/5/50 fighter family tree was the Mirage IIIV vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) fighter. ("IIIV" is read "three-vee," not "three-five"). This aircraft featured eight small vertical lift jets straddling the main engine. The Mirage IIIV was built in response to a mid-1960s NATO specification for a VTOL strike fighter. It used eight RB.162-31 lift engines(generating 5,400 lb thrust each), long-stroke landing gears, and additional covers to reduce impact of the lift engine exhausts. The main engine was a SNECMA TF-104 turbojet. Mirage III ROSE Project ROSE (Retrofit Of Strike Element) was an upgrade programme launched by the Pakistan Air Force to upgrade old Dassault Mirage III and Mirage 5 aircraft with modern avionics. In the early 1990s, the PAF procured 50 ex-Australian Mirage III fighters, 33 of which were selected after an inspection to undergo upgrades. In the first phases of Project ROSE, the ex-Australian Mirage III fighters were fitted with new defensive systems and cockpits, which included new HUDs, MFDs, RWRs, HOTAS controls, radar altimeters and navigation/attack systems. They were also fitted with the FIAR Grifo M3 multi-mode radar and designated ROSE I. Around 34 Mirage 5 attack fighters also underwent upgrades designated ROSE II and ROSE III before Project ROSE was completed. ==Operators==

Military operators Current • : 87 • Combat Commanders' School, PAF Base Mushaf, Mirage IIIO ROSE I • 5 Squadron, PAF Base Mushaf, Mirage IIIEP, IIIDP, IIIRP - (1968–2010) • 7 Squadron, PAF Base Masroor, Mirage IIIO ROSE I, IIIDP • 20 Squadron, PAF Base Mushaf, Mirage IIIRP - (1977–1988) • 22 Squadron, PAF Base Masroor, Mirage IIIEL, IIIBL, IIID • around 48 aircraft are retired (out of service) Former • : 348 • : 116 • : 32 • : 31 ==Aircraft on display==

Argentina ;Mirage IIICJ • C-715 – Argentine Air Force – Liceo Militar Aeronáutico, Funes, Santa Fe province • C-721 – Argentine Air Force – Museo Nacional de Aeronáutica de Argentina, Buenos Aires province ;Mirage IIIDA • I-002 – Argentine Air Force – Museo Nacional de Aeronáutica de Argentina, Buenos Aires province ;Mirage IIIEA • I-011 – Argentine Air Force – Museo Nacional de Aeronáutica de Argentina, Buenos Aires province Australia Information from: ;Mirage IIIO(F) • A3-3 – Royal Australian Air Force – Fighter World, RAAF Base Williamtown, New South Wales • A3-8 – Royal Australian Air Force – nose section at Classic Jets Fighter Museum, Parafield Airport, South Australia • A3-16 – Royal Australian Air Force – Queensland Air Museum, Caloundra Airport • A3-36 – Royal Australian Air Force – Australian Aviation Heritage Centre, Darwin, Northern Territory • A3-41 – Royal Australian Air Force – gate guard at RAAF Base Wagga, New South Wales • A3-42 – Royal Australian Air Force – Historical Aircraft Restoration Society, Illawarra Regional Airport, New South Wales, to be restored to flying condition with Mach 1 capability. • A3-44 – Royal Australian Air Force – Australian Aviation Museum, Bankstown Airport, New South Wales • A3-45 – Royal Australian Air Force – Australian National Aviation Museum, Moorabbin Airport, Victoria ;Mirage IIIO(A) • A3-51 – Royal Australian Air Force – RAAF Museum, Point Cook, Victoria • A3-55 – Royal Australian Air Force – Aviation Heritage Centre, RAAF Base Amberley, Queensland • A3-72 – Royal Australian Air Force – RAAF Museum, Point Cook, Victoria • A3-90 – Royal Australian Air Force – Fighter World, RAAF Base Williamtown, New South Wales (tail fin only) • A3-92 – Royal Australian Air Force – RAAF Museum, Point Cook, Victoria • A3-97 – Royal Australian Air Force – cockpit at Fighter World, RAAF Base Williamtown, New South Wales ;Mirage IIID • A3-102 – Royal Australian Air Force – Fighter World, RAAF Base Williamtown, New South Wales • A3-115 – Royal Australian Air Force – Formerly gate guard at RAAF Base Edinburgh, South Australia, now an exhibit at the South Australian Aviation Museum, Port Adelaide, South Australia. • A3-116 – Royal Australian Air Force – tail section at No 331 Squadron, Australian Air Force Cadets, Coffs Harbour, New South Wales Brazil ;Mirage IIIEBR • FAB-4927 – Brazilian Air Force – Parque de Material Aeronáutico de São Paulo (PAMA-SP), São Paulo France ;Mirage IIIA • A-02 – ISAE-SUPAERO, Toulouse ;Mirage IIIC • The 4th production Mirage IIIC – Musee de l'Aéronautique, Savigny-lès-Beaune • #27 – Aeroscopia Museum, Blagnac • Unmarked – Ailes Anciennes, Blagnac ;Mirage IIIEX • #467 - European Fighter Aircraft Museum (Montélimar) Spain ;Mirage IIIEE • #111-04 - Museu de les Ciències Príncipe Felipe, Valencia United Kingdom ;Mirage IIIE • #538 - Yorkshire Air Museum, Elvington ==Specifications (Mirage IIIE)==