List of Dassault Mirage III operators

This is a list of Dassault Mirage III
Dassault Mirage III
The Mirage III is a supersonic fighter aircraft designed by Dassault Aviation during the late 1950s, and manufactured both in France and a number of other countries. It was a successful fighter aircraft, being sold to many air forces around the world and remaining in production for over a decade...

s, Mirage 5s, and Mirage 50s used by national air force

Air force

An air force, also known in some countries as an air army, is in the broadest sense, the national military organization that primarily conducts aerial warfare. More specifically, it is the branch of a nation's armed services that is responsible for aerial warfare as distinct from an army, navy or...

s.

This should be regarded as an approximate list, as guaranteeing these numbers would be a major and difficult task. The key "1S" indicates a single-seat Mirage fighter, while "2S" indicates a two-seat Mirage, and "PR" indicates a photoreconnaissance machine.

South Africa

South African Air Force (SAAF) used Mirage III operationally to great effect in Angola. In 1979 a SAAF Mirage IIIRZ was shot down near Ongiva, in Angola. The wreckage of the aircraft was recovered by the Angolans.

Argentina

Argentine Air Force used the Mirage IIIEA during the Falklands War . Their lack of aerial refueling

Aerial refueling

Aerial refueling, also called air refueling, in-flight refueling , air-to-air refueling or tanking, is the process of transferring fuel from one aircraft to another during flight....

capability and long distance from their bases dramatically reduced their ability as long-range strike aircraft. Even using two 550-gallon drop tanks to carry extra fuel, the Mirages (and Daggers) were flying at the absolute limit of their range to reach the British fleet. The fighters sent to engage the Harrier CAP and cover the strike force would have no more than five minutes over the target area
Their usual armament consisted of 1 Matra 530

Matra 530

The Matra 530 is a sports car created and built by the French engineering group Matra.-The first real Matra:In 1965 Matra's CEO Jean-Luc Lagardère decided to develop a sports car more accessible to the ordinary, non-racing public, a voiture des copains , as successor to the Matra Djet...

or 2 Magic 1

R550 Magic

The R.550 Magic is a short-range missile designed in 1968 by French company Matra to compete with the American AIM-9 Sidewinder. On 11 January 1972, a Gloster Meteor of the centre for in-flight trials fired the R550 Magic and shot down a Nord CT20 target drone .Mass-produced from 1976, the Magic...

AAMs. They only entered combat in one occasion with one being shot down by an AIM-9L Sidewinder

AIM-9 Sidewinder

The AIM-9 Sidewinder is a heat-seeking, short-range, air-to-air missile carried mostly by fighter aircraft and recently, certain gunship helicopters. The missile entered service with United States Air Force in the early 1950s, and variants and upgrades remain in active service with many air forces...

and other destroyed by friendly fire

Friendly fire

Friendly fire is inadvertent firing towards one's own or otherwise friendly forces while attempting to engage enemy forces, particularly where this results in injury or death. A death resulting from a negligent discharge is not considered friendly fire...

after attempting to land at Port Stanley

Stanley, Falkland Islands

Stanley is the capital and only true cityin the Falkland Islands. It is located on the isle of East Falkland, on a north-facing slope in one of the wettest parts of the islands. At the 2006 census, the city had a population of 2,115...

when goes out of fuel. They were extensively used on diversion flights, flying very high altitude and baited the British with decoys, forced a response, and stretched their CAP coverage to improve the chances of survival and success of the attack force. Some of them were also maintained in quick response alert against possible Avro Vulcan

Avro Vulcan

The Avro Vulcan, sometimes referred to as the Hawker Siddeley Vulcan, was a jet-powered delta wing strategic bomber, operated by the Royal Air Force from 1956 until 1984. Aircraft manufacturer A V Roe & Co designed the Vulcan in response to Specification B.35/46. Of the three V bombers produced,...

raids on the mainland and against the Chile

Chile

Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...

an aggressive flights on the border.

Argentine Air Force

The Argentine Air Force is the national aviation branch of the Armed Forces of the Argentine Republic. , it had 14,606 military and 6,854 civilian staff.-History:...

Single seaters: 19 IIICJ + 17 IIIEA
Double seaters: 3 IIIBJ + 4 IIIDA
Plus 35 IAI 1S Dagger-A
IAI Nesher
The Israel Aircraft Industries Nesher is the Israeli version of the Dassault Mirage 5 multi-role fighter aircraft...

+ 4 IAI 2S Dagger-B. Survivors locally updated to Finger Standard.
Plus 10 5P. Survivors (9) locally updated to Mara Standard.
IIICJs & IIIBJs were ex-Israeli
Israeli Air Force
The Israeli Air Force is the air force of the State of Israel and the aerial arm of the Israel Defense Forces. It was founded on May 28, 1948, shortly after the Israeli Declaration of Independence...

, 5Ps were ex-Peruvian
Peruvian Air Force
The Peruvian Air Force is the branch of the Peruvian Armed Forces tasked with defending the nation and its interests through the use of air power...

.

Royal Australian Air Force

The Royal Australian Air Force is the air force branch of the Australian Defence Force. The RAAF was formed in March 1921. It continues the traditions of the Australian Flying Corps , which was formed on 22 October 1912. The RAAF has taken part in many of the 20th century's major conflicts...

116 Mirage IIIs (RAAF serial A3-1 to -116) were in service with the RAAF from 1964 to 1988.

No. 3 Squadron RAAF
No. 3 Squadron RAAF
No. 3 Squadron is a Royal Australian Air Force fighter squadron. It was first formed in 1916 and currently operates F/A-18 Hornet aircraft from RAAF Base Williamtown, near Newcastle, New South Wales.-World War I:...
No. 75 Squadron RAAF
No. 75 Squadron RAAF
No. 75 Squadron is a Royal Australian Air Force fighter unit based at RAAF Base Tindal in the Northern Territory. The squadron was formed in 1942 and saw extensive action in the South West Pacific theatre of World War II, operating P-40 Kittyhawks. It was disbanded in 1948, but reformed the...
No. 76 Squadron RAAF
No. 76 Squadron RAAF
No. 76 Squadron is a Royal Australian Air Force flight training squadron. Established in 1942, the squadron operated P-40 Kittyhawk fighter aircraft and saw combat during World War II. Following the war it formed part of Australia's contribution to the occupation of Japan until it was...
No. 77 Squadron RAAF
No. 77 Squadron RAAF
No. 77 Squadron is a Royal Australian Air Force fighter squadron. The Squadron was formed in 1942 and currently operates F/A-18 Hornet aircraft from RAAF Base Williamtown.-History:...
No. 79 Squadron RAAF
No. 79 Squadron RAAF
No. 79 Squadron is a Royal Australian Air Force flight training unit which has been formed on four occasions since 1943. The squadron was established in May 1943 as a fighter unit equipped with Supermarine Spitfires, and subsequently saw combat in the South West Pacific theatre of World War II...
No. 2 Operational Conversion Unit RAAF
No. 2 Operational Conversion Unit RAAF
No. 2 Operational Conversion Unit is a Royal Australian Air Force training unit located at RAAF Base Williamtown. 2OCU's main role is to train pilots to operate the F/A-18 Hornet. New RAAF pilots enter 2OCU for training after first qualifying to fly jet fighters in No. 76 Squadron...
Aircraft Research and Development Unit
- 1S: 49 IIIO(F) + 51 IIIO(A)
- 2S: 16 IIID
- Most built locally, all now sold to Pakistan.

Belgian Air Force

The Air Component, formerly the Belgian Air Force, is the air arm of the Belgian Armed Forces. Originally founded in 1909, it is one of the world's first air forces, and was a pioneer in aerial combat during the First World War...

1S: 63 5BA
2S: 16 5BD
PR: 27 5BR
Minor upgrade performed on survivors in early 1990s, but all were then retired. Some transferred to Chile
Chilean Air Force
The Chilean Air Force is the air force of Chile, a branch of the Chilean military.-History:The first step towards the current FACh was taken by Teniente Coronel Pedro Pablo Dartnell, when he founded the Servicio de Aviación Militar de Chile on December 20, 1910, being trained as a pilot in France...

as Elkans.

Brazilian Air Force

The Brazilian Air Force is the air branch of the Brazilian Armed Forces and one of the three national uniformed services. The FAB was formed when the Army and Navy air branch were merged into a single military force initially called "National Air Forces"...

1S: 16 IIIEBR + 6 IIIEBR-2
2S: 4 IIIDBR + 6 IIIDBR-2
all IIDBR-2 & IIIEBR-2 were ex-AdA.
Many assembled locally. Survivors upgraded with canards and so on in early 1990s. Last one retired in 2005

Chilean Air Force

The Chilean Air Force is the air force of Chile, a branch of the Chilean military.-History:The first step towards the current FACh was taken by Teniente Coronel Pedro Pablo Dartnell, when he founded the Servicio de Aviación Militar de Chile on December 20, 1910, being trained as a pilot in France...

1S: 6 50C + 8 50FC + 19 Elkans
2S: 3 50DC + 6 Elkans
50FC were upgraded by Dassault from AdA
French Air Force
The French Air Force , literally Army of the Air) is the air force of the French Armed Forces. It was formed in 1909 as the Service Aéronautique, a service arm of the French Army, then was made an independent military arm in 1933...

5Fs and then updated by Enaer
ENAER
-History:The Maintenance Wing of the Chilean Air Force was formed in 1930 as the Maestranza Central de Aviación . On March 16, 1984, the wing was formed into company ENAER .In the early 1980s, an agreement with Piper Aircraft saw the then Ala de Mantenimiento assembling...

to Pantera standard. Elkans are ex Belgium
Belgian Air Force
The Air Component, formerly the Belgian Air Force, is the air arm of the Belgian Armed Forces. Originally founded in 1909, it is one of the world's first air forces, and was a pioneer in aerial combat during the First World War...

Mirage 5.
Some ex South Africa
South African Air Force
The South African Air Force is the air force of South Africa, with headquarters in Pretoria. It is the world's second oldest independent air force, and its motto is Per Aspera Ad Astra...

Cheetahs as spares.
Retired on 31 December 2007

Colombian Air Force

The Colombian Air Force or FAC is the Air Force of the Republic of Colombia.The Colombian Air Force is one of the three institutions of the Armed Forces of Colombia, charge according to the 1991 Constitution of the work to exercise and maintain control of Colombia's airspace to defend the...

1S: 14 5COA Converted to 5COAM
2S: 2 5COD converted to 5CODM
PR: 2 5COR Converted to 5COAM
Most Colombian Mirages upgraded in early 1990s to improved Kfir standard.
All retired in 2010.

French Air Force

The French Air Force , literally Army of the Air) is the air force of the French Armed Forces. It was formed in 1909 as the Service Aéronautique, a service arm of the French Army, then was made an independent military arm in 1933...

1S: 95 IIIC + 183 IIIE + 58 5F
2S: 27 IIIB + 5 IIIB1 + 10 IIIB2(RV) + 20 IIIBE
PR: 50 IIIR + 20 IIIRD

All aircraft retired.

Gabon Air Force

1S: 3 5G + 2 5G-2
2S: 4 5DG
Two surviving 5Gs were updated to 5G-2 spec.
Aircraft withdrawn from use.

Israeli Air Force

The Israeli Air Force is the air force of the State of Israel and the aerial arm of the Israel Defense Forces. It was founded on May 28, 1948, shortly after the Israeli Declaration of Independence...

1S: 72 IIICJ
2S: 5 IIIBJ
IAI built 61 Nesher
IAI Nesher
The Israel Aircraft Industries Nesher is the Israeli version of the Dassault Mirage 5 multi-role fighter aircraft...

/ Daggers, with 51 single-seaters and 10 two-seat Nesher-Ts; and 212 Kfirs, with 40 early Kfir C1s (many updated to Kfir C1 spec), about 12 Kifr TC2 trainers, and the rest Kfir C2s. Confusing pattern of upgrades to Kfir C7 and Kfir TC7.
2 Mirage IIIRJ photo reconnaissance aircraft
All aircraft converted to Kfirs or withdrawn from use. Many transferred to Argentina between 1979/83

Lebanese Air Force

The Lebanese Air Force is the aerial warfare branch of the Lebanese Armed Forces. The seal of the air force is constituted of a Roundel with two wings and a Lebanese Cedar tree, surrounded by two laurel leaves on a blue background.-History:...

1S: 10 IIIEL
2S: 2 IIIDL
all aircraft sold to Pakistan in 2000

Libyan Air Force

The Libyan Air Force is the branch of the Libyan Armed Forces responsible for aerial warfare. In 2010, before the 2011 Libyan civil war, the Libyan Air Force personnel strength was estimated at 18,000, with an inventory of 374 combat capable aircraft operating from 13 military airbases in...

1S: 53 5D + 32 5DE
2S: 15 5DD
PR: 10 5DR
Most of them sold to Pakistan.

Pakistan Air Force

The Pakistan Air Force is the leading air arm of the Pakistan Armed Forces and is primarily tasked with the aerial defence of Pakistan with a secondary role of providing air support to the Pakistan Army and the Pakistan Navy. The PAF also has a tertiary role of providing strategic air transport...

The Pakistan Air Force is the largest operator of the Dassault Mirage III

Dassault Mirage III

The Mirage III is a supersonic fighter aircraft designed by Dassault Aviation during the late 1950s, and manufactured both in France and a number of other countries. It was a successful fighter aircraft, being sold to many air forces around the world and remaining in production for over a decade...

with a fleet strength of around 156 aircraft. The fleet consists of fighters built for Pakistan (Mirage IIIEP) in the 60s and 70s as well used French

France

The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...

, Australia

Australia

Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...

n, Libya

Libya

Libya is an African country in the Maghreb region of North Africa bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to the east, Sudan to the southeast, Chad and Niger to the south, and Algeria and Tunisia to the west....

n and Lebanese aircraft bought in the 1990s and early 2000s. Some 35 of the ex-Australian Mirage III were modernised with new avionics under the first stage of the ROSE (Retrofit Of Strike Element) upgrade

ROSE Upgrade

Project ROSE was a programme initiated by the Pakistan Air Force in 1992 to modernise a number of its Dassault Mirage III and Mirage 5 fighter aircraft with new avionics, some of which were supplied by European companies including SAGEM of France and FIAR of Italy...

programme to make air superiority specialised "ROSE I" fighters.

1S: 18 IIIEP + 43 III(0) + 28 5PA + 28 5PA2 + 12 5PA3
2S: 5 IIIDP + 7 IIID + 2 5DPA2
PR: 13 IIIRP
The III(0) and IIID models were Australian-made and locally refurbished at the Mirage Rebuild Factory of Pakistan Aeronautical Complex
Pakistan Aeronautical Complex
The Pakistan Aeronautical Complex is a facility used to service, assemble and manufacture aircraft for the Pakistani Armed Forces...

.

All Mirage III/Mirage V aircraft are to be retired and replaced with the Pakistan/China produced JF-17 by 2015.
Pakistan Naval Air Arm

Pakistan Naval Air Arm

The Pakistan Naval Air Arm is the naval aviation branch of the Pakistan Navy.The Naval Air Arm is tasked to carry out air surveillance, limited aerial warfare, and reconnaissance operations...

The Pakistan naval air arm operates more than 12 aircraft based at PNS Base Faisal.

Peruvian Air Force

The Peruvian Air Force is the branch of the Peruvian Armed Forces tasked with defending the nation and its interests through the use of air power...

1S: 22 5P + 10 5P3 + 2 5P4
2S: 4 5DP + 2 5DP3
10 5P transferred to Argentina
Argentine Air Force
The Argentine Air Force is the national aviation branch of the Armed Forces of the Argentine Republic. , it had 14,606 military and 6,854 civilian staff.-History:...

and rest upgraded.
Survivors stored by 2005.

South Africa

South African Air Force

The South African Air Force is the air force of South Africa, with headquarters in Pretoria. It is the world's second oldest independent air force, and its motto is Per Aspera Ad Astra...

No. 2 Squadron SAAF
- 1S: 16 IIICZ + 17 IIIEZ
- 2S: 3 IIIBZ + 3 IIIDZ + 11 IIID2Z
- PR: 4 IIIRZ + 4 IIIR2Z
All out of service, some having been upgraded to Cheetah standard. There were about 16 Cheetah E conversions (all out of service); 38 Cheetah C conversions; 16 Cheetah D conversions; and one Cheetah R conversion (scrapped).
Some Cheetahs E were sold to Chile
Chilean Air Force
The Chilean Air Force is the air force of Chile, a branch of the Chilean military.-History:The first step towards the current FACh was taken by Teniente Coronel Pedro Pablo Dartnell, when he founded the Servicio de Aviación Militar de Chile on December 20, 1910, being trained as a pilot in France...

for use as spare parts for Panteras.

Spain

Spanish Air Force

-The early stages:Hot air balloons had been used with military purposes in Spain as far back as 1896. In 1905, with the help of Alfredo Kindelán, Leonardo Torres y Quevedo directed the construction of the first Spanish dirigible in the Army Military Aerostatics Service, created in 1896 and located...

1S: 24 IIIEE
2S: 6 IIIDE
Upgrade plan (APQ-159 radar, HUD + 2xCRT, AYK-14 computer, new RWR, ALE-40 decoy launchers, AIM-9L/AGM-65G capability, four extra hardpoints) cancelled in 1991. Withdrawn from service in October 1992. The survivors were used as part of the payment for the Mirage F-1M upgrade and later sold to Pakistan.

Swiss Air Force

The Swiss Air Force is the air component of the Swiss Armed Forces, established on July 31, 1914, as part of the Army and as of January 1966 an independent service.In peacetime, Dübendorf is the operational Air Force HQ...

1S: 1 IIICS + 36 IIIS
2S: 4 IIIBS + 2 IIIDS
PR: 18 IIIRS
Most built locally, many upgraded with canards, optics etc. Withdrawn from service in 2003.

Venezuela

Venezuelan Air Force

1S: 7 IIIEV + 6 5V + 9 50EV
2S: 3 IIIDV + 1 50DV
All phased out after several crashes.

Zairean Air Force

Air Force of the Democratic Republic of the Congo

The Air Force of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, also known as the Democratic Republic of the Congo Air Force , is the air force branch of the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo...

1S: 8 5M
2S: 3 5DM
All sold to Egypt in the early 1990s.

South Africa

Argentina

South Africa

Spain

Venezuela

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