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This long-service record was in part due to the fact that it exceeded its nominal lifespan estimated at 1,500 flight hours. The Mirage III's RAAF service ended on 30 September 1988. įor armament French Matra R.530 missiles were initially purchased and in the 1970s, the R.550 Magic was added. From the mid-1980s, they were used for the advanced training of future 77 Squadron pilots before their conversion to F/A-18 Hornet.
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Ī total of 116 Mirages III are built for Australia.
X mirage serial number license#
Mirage A3-3 was the first Mirage built under license in Australia.īy June 1969 all of the original Mirage IIIO(F) aircraft were modified to ground attack specifications. This purchase cost A$11 million and allowed the final decommission of the old Sabre trainers. The specification was enabled by the removal of the Cyrano radar to make room for a second cockpit behind the original and the transfer of the avionics system to the nose. When the last 6 were ordered in 1971 the Australian Government asked for two seated versions for training purposes built between 19. The main additions of this modification were a coat of camouflage paint and the installation of the Cyrano IIB Doppler radar and altimeters. The rest were designated IIIO(A) and equipped to serve in the ground attack role. The first 50 were built under the classification of Mirage IIIO(F) to serve in the interceptor role. Mirages entered service in the RAAF in 1965 and were used in a front-line role by seven RAAF units. Their American allies in the Vietnam War lent on the Australians heavily to choose the Lockheed F-104G Starfighter making the choice of the French aircraft highly unexpected, especially since the French government was opposed to the war. On November 10, 1966, the first of ten two-seater versions was accepted. It was taken on strength by the RAAF on January 19, 1964. On arrival it was reassembled and flown on January 11, 1964. This aircraft was then dismantled and transported aboard a Lockheed C-130 Hercules cargo plane on November 1, 1963. On April 9, 1963, Group Captain Susans took delivery of the first aircraft at Melun Villaroche Aerodrome. It was agreed that the first two airplanes would be built in France, that six others would be sent dismantled (fuselage, wings, engine) and that two others, finally, would arrive in Australia as unassembled parts. The latter, as well as the canopy and rudder were to be assembled by the Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation, while the Government Aircraft Factories in Melbourne were to take care of the fuselage and final assembly. The signed agreements also included the manufacture of the aircraft in Australia, with Dassault supplying the components for the airframe and SNECMA the engines. On December 15, 1960, the Australian Minister of Defence announced the first order for 30 Mirage III "Os", at a cost of 18 million Australian pounds, soon followed by additional orders for 30, then 40 single-seaters and 10 two-seaters (Mirage III D). "Our present planning and preparations are proceeding on the basis of an operational contribution to allied strategy of highly trained men armed with the most modern conventional weapons and equipment." On 4 April 1957 the Australian Prime Minister Robert Menzies said in his defence statement: The deal was equally significant for Australia which, during the 1950s, had not yet decided on an aircraft to replace the outdated CAC-27 Avon Sabre. As one of the largest deals contributing to France’s export success, the deal with Australia had a significant impact on French foreign policy, increasing the country’s influence as it succeeded to compete with the two global powers of the Cold War. The first Mirage III flew in 1956 after a period of development by Générale Aéronautique Marcel Dassault (GAMD) leading to a significant rise in French defence exports in the next two decades, placing France as the world’s third largest defence supplier by 1971.