Mirage III in Australian Service

By the mid-1950s the RAAF started to consider a replacement for the Australian produced CAC Sabre. A joint evaluation team from the Departments of Air and Supply toured Europe and North America in 1960 to consider Australia’s options. The Mirage was chosen as the first supersonic fighter for Australia.
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[@rthefish]

My Dad worked for CAC, and was part of the team that built the wings. CAC held kids Christmas parties at the factory at Fishermans Bend, and as a kid, I got to tour the factory. RIP Dad.

[@rogatk8842]

Same here, except at ARL.

[@ianmontgomery7534]

@@rogatk8842 I worked at GAF. We had an Asquith drill there that was only ever used once per Mirage fighter.

[@babuzzard6470]

I love these shows on our RAAF aircraft, keep ‘em coming please.🇦🇺👍

[@Jon.A.Scholt]

The RAAF Kangaroo Roundel is one of my favorites! The air museum I used to work at (Kalamazoo Air Zoo) had an A-4 Skyhawk in an Australian livery. Whenever I walked by it I loved seeing that Kangaroo Roundel. Though this may upset some Aussies, I think the Royal New Zealand Air Force Roundel is the only one that beats it. There is something hilarious about putting a Kiwi, a flightless bird, in the Roundel of your Air Force; even if it is a national symbol.

[@corvanphoenix]

I'm an Aussie & I don't mind that at all. Particularly in the context of your only RAAF roundel being on an A-4! The RAN leased RNZAF A-4's for years. So the last A-4's to see active service over Australia, were Kiwi jets, with their Kiwi roundels.

[@Jon.A.Scholt]

@@fastbackseventyseven3553 If you ever happen to be in Southwest Michigan, I highly recommend spending an afternoon to visit! There are a ton of awesome aircraft to see and quite a few unique aircraft.

[@Jon.A.Scholt]

@@corvanphoenix No kidding? That's a pretty interesting tidbit. It seems like the A-4 has seen service in virtually every Air Force that wasn't aligned with the Soviet Union. It's a testament to just how fantastic an aircraft it was! Cheers and Happy New Year!

[@corvanphoenix]

@jona.scholt4362 I used to live near the A-4's, which ran from our main Navy helicopter base. Occasionally I'd see A-4's flying around on training missions. So I was very sad when we gave up the Kiwi Skyhawks.

[@adriaandeleeuw8339]

@@corvanphoenix www.navy.gov.au/aircraft/douglas-a4g-skyhawk

[@byronbailey9229]

I flew 3 Sqn, 76 Sqn, 77Sqn. The two seater had better transonic aerodynamics and clean could top out at 800 kts IAS low level. The single seater just made 750 kts. As of December 2023 am still flying a Dassault designed aircraft - Falcon 50 - great aerodynamics and handling.

[@peterkirgan2921]

Did you know big Jim Flemming ?? I did

[@aneesahmed2541]

These aussie Mirages still serve in the PAF's No 7TA Sqn and CCS Mirage sqn and is a very efficient weapons platform.

[@ibeatyoutubecircumventingy6344]

no not at all useless actually for our countries size. those hard points were soaked up with drop tanks literally counters your statement into the ground. First useful aircraft we have acquired since the Skyhawks was the FA-18.

[@mickvonbornemann3824]

@@ibeatyoutubecircumventingy6344 he was talking about in Pakistan not Oz

[@ibeatyoutubecircumventingy6344]

@@mickvonbornemann3824 my bad used to the AUs govt doing more rtarded stuff military wise!

[@anncraigobrien1891]

My father was on the RAAF team that was sent to France as part of the Mirage Project. We were there from early 1961-mid 1964.

[@garyspeed8961]

one of my lifetime memories,, watching Mirage 3's racing past my surfing spot in thq 70s at 200' back to Williamstown AFB

[@DaveSCameron]

Where's the oerlikons when you need them eh? 😂😂😂

[@Pushing_Pixels]

I was lucky enough to go to an air show at RAAF Richmond as a kid, right near the end of the Mirage's service life. Got to see one flying a mock "dogfight" with a Hornet. I saw the Mirage turn on a dime while the chasing Hornet flew right past it. The Hornet later flew slowly down the runway with its nose almost vertical, holding itself up with thrust alone I guess. There was a demo flight of an American F-15, which did a low, fast pass over the field into a vertical climb going straight up until it almost disappeared. Also got to see the A-4 flying, though I think it might've been with New Zealand at that point. It did a low, fast approach and I remember I just happened to see it coming by chance, as it was going fast enough that I couldn't hear it till it was very close. It was a really good air show, with aircraft from all over the world, including the giant Antonov cargo plane, which was the largest aircraft in the world (I can't remember the exact year, but I think it was still Soviet). I'm glad we got the Mirage over the F-104.

[@Eric-kn4yn]

Lockheeds bribes we were too savvy for that rubbish

[@RobRoam]

1988 Bicentineal Airshow at RAAF Richmond. There was also a Tornado there too!

[@johnmclean6498]

I was there and saw everything as you describe it...great memory. Never forget that F 15 take off. Held her 10 feet off the deck until the speed built up and then....Zooom. Straight up.

[@goodo5691]

i remember different..think it was the airshow at avalon...or maybe Edinburgh, the f18 was doing circles inside the mirage

[@D.L.Hunter.Palmer]

My neighbor back when I was 11-17 years old was a former RAAF Mirage III pilot who also certified to fly F-4s, F-111s and F/A-18s. While he always said in the event of an actual war the Hornet was a better choice, he loved the Mirage and said the on the edge of or your seat performance was second to none. He had an extremely long RAAF career as a pilot instructor and officer and I could tell whenever I spoke to him how much he missed flying the mirages. His standard description for something being good, exciting and/or carefree was to call it "free as a 3" which usually left people confused as pretty much no one except me and his wife had any idea what he meant.

[@jabs767]

With nearly 2000 hours in the old French lady, I still look back fondly at the jet that marked a turning point in aviation history. 👍 Mike Tardent’s comments about landing the aircraft weren’t as scary as trying to teach someone when landing the jet from the back seat! We used to prey for a slight cross wind to improve visibility down one side of the front seat ejection seat 🙄 Liked your shirt Ron… As loud as the Atar… 😉

[@raafdocumentaries]

That's awesome. Thanks for making a comment! (and surviving 2K hrs in a Mirage!!)

[@RobertHoward-k8r]

Knew a mirage 111 pilot he liked to go supersonic near England and local would blame RAF he was aussie raaf onya micķ parer

[@jabs767]

@@RobertHoward-k8r We used to fly supersonic between Tengah in Singapore and Butterworth and the booms in Malacca used to get blamed on the SQ/ BA Concorde service from SIN-Bahrain.

[@vk1pe]

I was a Naval officer, and did inital flying training with the RAAF. On our course was a former Mirage maintainer, who told the story of a pilot who was doing a cross country at fairly low altitude but high speed, and saw ahead a 'lightie' doing maybe 140kt. The abrupt pull-up stressed the airframe, and the engine. When the aircraft returned, the spool-down was dramatically brief, due to the engine now being slightly mis-aligned. A new engine was needed, and the old one went off for a major overhaul.

[@SnoopReddogg]

Good ol' Whitlam setting up the ALP playbook for decades to come with defence cuts.

[@cyberdyn1]

These Aussie Mirages r still in active service of Pakistan AF and r highly modified 4 Air to Ground and Maritime Strike roles, I watch their flight regularly in Karachi city, Pakistan....Mirages r nice, tough and efficient aircraft

[@natquesenberry6368]

I went to high school in Penang, Malaysia. We would visit a place called Song Song Island where the RMAF had a bombing range. Even though the RAAF had retired its Mirages by then, we found lots of spent 30 mm training rounds from the Mirages on the beach and in the water. Left from when the Mirages were based at Butterworth.

[@marklivingstone3710]

What I like about the Mirage 111, 60 years on and it’s still a beautiful looking aircraft. For me, the only other aircraft of that vintage that still looks great today is the Hawker Hunter.

[@MrGutfeeling]

F-1/11 !

[@marklivingstone3710]

@@MrGutfeeling yep, I’ll give you that 😉

[@ScottSillis]

F111, F4 Phantom, F-16, F-15 etc still the F-15 and F-16 are widely used and have new variants, even the F/A-18 was iconic when Northrop Grumman designed and built it, McDonnell Douglas took it to the table and BOEING made it into what is is today, then the Super Hornet. A bit younger but still been in service since the 80's. I spent 14 years working on F111 & F/A-18F Super Hornets at Amberley. Everyone has a favourite hey.

[@weofnjieofing]

My late dad and I absolutely loved the Mirage! Stunningly beautiful and incredibly fast not to mention its insane roll rate. Saw it for the first time in 1980 where I was perched on top of my dads shoulders. Back then they flew super low and over the crowds, They used to do sneaky passes over the crowd from behind and it scared the hell out of you. A classic and sad none were preserved in flying condition for air shows etc.

[@Homoprimatesapiens]

We in S.A. also have the privilege to have different variants of the Mirage 3 in our inventory. What a jewel of a interceptor, ground support and combat a.c. But the cherry on the cake was the Mirage F1. The C, and E model which were very effectively bring their part in the Angolan/Cuban war in the 1980's.

[@RB28v]

SAAF had 7 variants of the Mirage lll & 2 of the F1. The F1 CZ & AZ

[@jingorooroad2559]

The Mirages III were more much appreciated than the Mirage F1. Also the F1 can't claimed the same statistics recorded by the Mirage III. Mirage F1 wasn't a bad aircraft, but it wasn't as good as the legendary Mirage III. Simply because the Mirage F1 wasn't build for the sames purposes as the III. It was a more dedicated aircraft to some precises roles.

[@abbeyhall4624]

This is good video, well researched and made. 👍 I especially appreciate the two former RAAF pilots speaking frankly about the Mirage III. 😀 And lovely to see footage of the RAAF Mirage III in action. Thank you for giving us this video and no B.S. hyped us stuff.

[@GunniesLetsFlyVFR]

Loved the Mirage. Posted to 3Sqn then 79Sqn Butterworth before a posting to ARDU where I continued to love the Mirrage for more years. Dis my,first fighter flight in a D model going supersonic in Singapore 1986. 😅 Great video.

[@greggreen1025]

Great doco. Listening to the pilots was fascinating

[@allgood6760]

The plane is like a dart!.. we used to get them at Kiwi airshows.. Thanks mate from across the ditch 👍✈️🇳🇿

[@flyingemu]

Loved watching these flying when I was a kid, first saw one at an airshow at RAAF Laverton (now part of RAAF Williams) in the 70's.

[@1809steph]

Had the pleasure of watching these mirages took off and land at RAAF Butterworth . Can still remember the crackling and roar of their fiery engines.

[@jbaroli]

Love the MIII. Had a long service here in Argentina (from 1973 till 2015!), with many variants including the MIII, such as IAI Nesher (which ended up being the Dagger), which were used in the Falklands/Malvinas conflict.

[@andymartinez767]

I worked on that aircraft A3-3. Interesting to see the old girl again

[@erikweston209]

The reflections/ explanations offered by Mr. Hack are well said. They landed here in Carolina. Thank you.

[@ScottSillis]

A good friend flew and commanded a squadron of Mirage III aircraft, he also flew with a fellow pilot who were the two pilots that did test flights dropping bombs over Woomera for the nuclear weapons program. Both were ARDU pilots, I got to have photos with those aircraft and meet the other pilot on deployment to Malaysia In 2006. These platforms were commonly known as "the flying brick" if you had a flame out of the engine you needed an 80 degree nose down angle of attack to get enough airflow and use both hands to attempt a re-light whilst holding the joystick between your knees. Malaysia were still flying them when I deployed there in 2006. A very small aircraft that could fit inside a decent living room.

[@raafdocumentaries]

Yep, these were rockets you strapped to your bum - if the rocket goes out, you ain't got much to glide back to base with!

[@Jon.A.Scholt]

Wow, that F-86 with those markings at the beginning of the video is one heck of a good looking jet!

[@beagle7622]

It differed from the American F86 . It was fitted with a Rolls Royce Avon Engine which was more powerful.

[@CJUzziel]

Thanks for the content. Very interesting and what stood out most for me was how the RAAF experience portrayed in the video compares and even contrasts that of the SAAF pilots who.

[@karldewet5393]

The ejection seats in them were so good some pilots ejected out of two Mirages. John Kindler, for those wondering.

[@TheMDHoover]

Remember taking photos as a teenager of one of the last flights of one of the ARDU Mirage IIIs at the Point Cook airshow.

[@richardw64]

Just got back from Wagga RAAF Air Museum , yesterday . Saw the Mirage on show there and heard some of the history from Bob, one of the ex RAAF tour guides. If ever you're in the area, stop in and take a look.

[@peterkirgan2921]

I knew the Mirage 3 it was called the French Lady was well respected by everyone who flew it ! Big jim flemming was a friend of my father he basically ran the Williamtown air base ! Great guy ! I'm familiar with A3-17 mirage that ended up in Pakistan air force! That's another story!!! Lol

[@4tune8chance65]

I also was in Darwin when 76 sqn was disbanded. In fact I was held back for that final engine change to get the last aircraft back to Williamtown a few days later that the rest of the sqn.

[@grekiely6245]

Excellent presentation, thanks. Needed ears on for the AB takoffs.

[@thatfelladownunder9396]

I have photos of some of the Mirages on the Whyalla dock ready for shipment to Pakistan. I assume they came up from Edinburgh. I worked at the steelworks at the time. Must’ve been around 1990-91.

[@marklivingstone3710]

No. After they were retired, they were stored at Woomera for about 3 years. When the sale to Pakistan went through they were transported on flat bed trucks to Whyalla. For the month or so they were being transported if any of us needed to go to Port Augusta or Adelaide, we had to be on the road before 7 am and couldn’t return till mid afternoon. I saw about 60 of them in the hangars at Woomera, all sprayed with pink plastic. It was sad to see but impressive.

[@thatfelladownunder9396]

@@marklivingstone3710 Right ok. I wasn’t privy to how they left the Whyalla dock as it was only my morning smoko spot for me and my truck. But that makes sense, I assumed they were loaded onto ships. 👍

[@downunderrob]

Thank goodness we got Mirage and not the F104! The Mirage served Australia well until it was replaced by the F/A18. I do wish we could have sent them Vietnam. Show the Americans what a real Gunfighter could do. Whether based at Bien Hoa or Udon in Thailand.

[@uberbeeg]

Too late for Vietnam and the USAF had CAP completely in hand ( after a bit of a rough start). The Sabres were providing ' aggressor ' training too the USAF as they were compable to Mig17/-19s that had given the US a bit of a rude shock being much more manuverable than their F4s and 100 series.

[@frankleespeaking9519]

Yeah, ok… Did you hear the part where the raaf mirage never fired a shot in anger? So… what exactly could the RAAF teach the USAF or USN. ? Seriously,thanks for your contribution of F86’S🙄

[@Eric-kn4yn]

​@@frankleespeaking9519 doesnt mean raaf was not locked and loaded if needed

[@frankleespeaking9519]

@@Eric-kn4yn the comment wasn’t “show the north Vietnamese what a real gunfighter could do” it was “show the Americans what a real gunfighter could do “… that’s kind of a dig at the usaf and usn. While we are appreciative of Australia’s contribution towards the Vietnam war, there were no RAAF fighters “ locked and loaded”

[@mikeguthrie5432]

Good lookin' airplane!

[@mcmoose64]

A workmate of my father was an airforce reserve officer and organised for me and a mate to visit the Evans Head bombing range on a day when Mirages were beating the place up. Very impressive for a 7yr old.

[@edutaimentcartoys]

amazing video of mirage III

[@sean.butterworth]

Such a beautiful plane

[@mattjacomos2795]

Nicely done. I saw the ARDU Mirage on approach to Edenborough back in the 80's. I was in a 152A and he was cocked right up in the approach attitude... Looked like a shark.

[@Salman-sc8gr]

After they were retired Pakistan Air Force bought them and have been rebuilt with modern avionics.

[@GarryBellerby]

I note that it was stated that the Mirage entered squadron service in 1965, but I vividly remember being in 5th or 6th class in Primary school in Liverpool, Sydney (1963/64) when the classroom was rocked by two loud booms within seconds of each other, rattling all the windows. It was reported on the news that night that two Mirage III's had broken the sound barrier over Sydney. Oops. In 1984 I was involved in a Jaguar XJ40 pre release test program driving from our base in Moorebank south west of Sydney. We would drive various types of roads during a 7 hour circuit. One day our 3 disguised cars were motoring in convoy at a reasonably brisk pace towards Braidwood on the backroads from Goulburn. A route that we travelled on a fairly regular basis, usually for a week at a time before changing to our next route. One day we were literally buzzed by a single low flying Mirage III. At that point we were close to our lunch stop, a small camping area next to a river. The Mirage III returned and did a low, slow turning pass over us with the pilot giving us a wave, which we returned. I have always wondered why that one plane and pilot happened upon us at that particular time. Was it just coincidence or was he a Jaguar enthusiast who been tipped off to our test runs in that location?

[@ninjaskeleton6140]

I always wondered why so many RAAF Mirages crashed. I assumed the fact that it was a single engine aircraft probably had a bit to do with it, we flew the F-18s longer and only 4 of them crashed in all those decades of use, none due to engine failure as far as I’m aware. But listening to these pilots talk about the Mirage makes it seem like it had a lot of issues that made it difficult to fly that could lead to all sorts of accidents. No wonder half of them were lost over the years.

[@12345fowler]

Not a single MIII was ever lost to an engine failure. These ATAR 09 were bulletproof

[@markissboi3583]

Had the pleasure at Darwin 2004/7 watching jets do fly bys near the skiclub beach low pass & burners on what a sight then a work mate x airforce sarge told me the usa bomber will be arriving wait at landing 2pm Busy but got to see it take off at airport what a huge bomber

[@markissboi3583]

IDK why Aussie Govt stops the manufacturing of Subs & ships Here the jobs it creates indirect is beyound what they ever tell us Its cheaper to buy overseas Ha thats what they all say But > blow out there own countrys Budget Imagine small countrys buying Aussie built ships & subs tanks etc be billions back in our pockets & more jobs The Steel from aussie foundrys & welders riggers bolts & nuts wires cabinets trades technical learning +++ generations of all these Gone because Govt wants usa subs was old france b4 These idiots born with a silver spoon and fed lies stop this Great Nation becoming a power strong hold like usa weak minded fools run our Country we need Guts & ballz back at helm no whimps who worry about saving a few Billion yet will spenf $100 billions overseas every upgrade on ships aircraft sub etc STOP the bullchit put Aussies back in work ... vote now no karens the Libs howard started this bullchit now we have Nothing made here because there whimpy bald headed wankers who cant bowl a cricket ball i hope oneday a bloke like Elon musk drives this country to the Future he just Dont talks about idea's he just does it rockets elect cars batteries tunnels & what ever he needs

[@ray.shoesmith]

Saw an ARDU Mirage do a time to altitude out of ESL one day many years ago on a green screen radar. 10 paints (60 seconds) from ident to FL300. Impressive to say the least.

[@wildcolonialman]

Fabulous.

[@onemantwohands5224]

Mate we saw the last one fly out of Amberley brisbane never forget it !

[@SpawnofChaos2010]

The negotiations that lead to the acquisition of the Mirage must have been extraordinary, from politicians to servicemen, strategic advisors through to corporate representatives. I'm aware the F-4 served as a temporary interim prior to the F-111 entering service, was it ever considered (or offered) as a frontline fighter in-lieu of the Mirage?

[@rojay9546]

Kudos to the pilots of those Mirage. Cool looking aircraft but fair dinkum those limitations are pretty extreme. And to think the choice was between it and the Starfighter!! Two flying coffins!

[@AnimarchyHistory]

God I love the Mirage.

[@xaero76]

I will always remember a entire flight of RAAF Mirage IIIs screaming down the old Lowood Aerodrome at tree height level.... I was tending to my Goats at the time, and I looked around to see what the noise was and I saw the entire flight heading towards the Road that was the old WWII Runway, and they all screamed down the road... 14:22 well, there you go... thats what I saw then, I do remember the lead Mirage had some kind of special paint scheme, but they moved so damn fast I did not get much time to see it properly, nor the others in the formation which had more standard paint schemes I will also remember the Amberly Air Show in the late 80s as a brand new F/A-18 demonstrating the turning circle of the F/A-18 vs the old Mirage III, and I watched the F/A-18 turn inside the Mirage III

[@TerrenceMarjoram]

My dad always dad talked about this plane

[@mjguerin63]

I saw the first public display of the F18 at Williamtown in 86 or 7. Put on turning dual with a Mirage which lost.

[@ronjon7942]

Gorgeous craft. Wish we had something so pretty in America. I love the F-106, but it just doesn’t have the III’s looks.

[@chopperking007]

Saw these moth balled at woomera

[@danpatterson8009]

Certainly the Mirage "looks right", but it sounds like it was a handful to fly. Or perhaps all high-performance jets of that vintage were a challenge, because the technology to make them "user friendly" did not yet exist?

[@stuka101]

The good ol Lawn dart

[@sarcasmo57]

That guy seems to know his stuff.

[@shoominati23]

We say CAC as 'Cack' here, down in Van Diemen's Land.. I guess you could say it like 'Sack' or 'Cas' .. but thats how we say it, or SAID, should I say - as like alot of World Class Aussie industries, it's a memory now..

[@orgkampong]

I remembered that the Oz govt had donated some Sabre jets for Malaysia's used. The Malaysian make good used of the gifts & after some yrs Malaysia donated them to Indonesia.... Malaysia went on to get a modest nos of US made F-5E ....

[@mitchellhowarth6402]

We’re so lucky they never fired a shot in anger

[@mickvonbornemann3824]

Australia was already making its own Avon engines for the CAC Sabre so why would it be more expensive for local assembly over the Atar?

[@SeargentBarnes]

WTF Aussie produced a Sabre? Awesome

[@TerLoki]

Not a pilot, but a War Thunder player. The Mirage III was one of my first top-tier aircraft, is still a personal favorite, and the Diamond Jubilee livery has to be one of the best-looking aerobatic paint-jobs in the game.

[@Iwishiwasflying]

Mirage aka Miracle. At the end of the life you would be lucky getting 1hr of operation out of the radar. I remember them back in my Air TC days at WLM

[@thegreyhound1073]

They made a great decision.

[@keptinkaos6384]

Thankfully we avoided the Starfighter while fast a MIG 21 could have it for breakfast while it served in German ops for a long time its US service lasted until it met the MIG 21 in Vietnam but I'm surprised The RAAF didn't by the late 60s opt for the more multirole F4e.

[@arclux]

I vaguely remember hearing that the French withheld spare parts for our French sourced military equipment during the Rainbow Warrior incident. Did that effect these planes as well?

[@limeybonesjones7395]

i liked this video

[@jingorooroad2559]

4:35 This ex pilot handled French aircrafts, and now is enjoying his drinks in French made glasses from Duralex. French quality is well known.

[@danielwarren8539]

Wow. We used to build our own jets.

[@ronjon7942]

Gorgeous craft. Wish we had something so pretty in America. I love the F-106, but it just doesn’t have the III’s looks.

[@frankleespeaking9519]

‘Gorgeous and pretty” ? Weird comment

[@Eric-kn4yn]

Thats sexy looking now stealth f35 looks well innocuous but its deadly i trust robert gottliebsen is wrong

[@PeterFruits-hm8rc]

RAAF 75 SQN MIRAGES ALSO FLEW AT DARWIN & TINDAL

[@uberbeeg]

Never fired it's guns in anger, but one did manage too shoot itself down on a gunnery range.

[@jabs767]

No ricochet ! One also bombed itself out of the air at Dutson when a high drag 500lb didn’t go high drag and fragmentation damaged the aircraft. @documentarydetectiveiii5217

[@johngriffiths118]

Ricochet surely ?

[@jabs767]

Sorry, I meant, 'No, it was a ricochet.' It was a ricochet! @@johngriffiths118

[@uberbeeg]

@documentarydetectiveiii5217 Richochet.

[@andymartinez767]

Well not totally correct.

[@michaelsier6879]

My father was Lloyd Smith who was a pilot lost from a night flight at Butterworth after clipping the top of a mountain. Would anyone have known him?

[@uha6477]

Should've pulled out the money for the Avon powered version.

[@adrien5834]

The Avon was heavier. Every time someone tries to retrofit a more powerful engine into a Mirage it ends up having worse performance than the original.

[@uha6477]

I didn't know it was heavier. I just went with the stated better performance the Avon gave, and considering the existing experience the Australians had with it it'd have been a good idea. Sadly I suspect a good book detailing the Australian Avon Mirage would be hard to come by outside of Australia. The Kfir apparently was quite 'draggy' because they had to fit a bulky heatshield around the J79, but I though the South African Cheetah experience with the Atar-9K instead of the Atar-9C wasn't so bad?

[@adrien5834]

@@uha6477 What I've read is that the better bench test performance did not translate to better in flight performance for various reasons. Also it came at the cost of increased complexity and lower reliability, which means that all in all it wasn't worth it.

[@uha6477]

@@adrien5834 sounds about right. I don't doubt that it would've been technically feasible for Australian industry to do this and iron out any problems, but just because it's possible doesn't always add up to it should be done or worth the cost of doing it.

[@PakHatf]

Pakistan Air Force still operates Mirages after significant overhauling , even the lattest engagement was in 2019 with India when Indian Air force used their Mirag2000 while PAF used their old Mirages in their surgical ground strikes successfully. Still it is beleived that these would serve for 5 years more.

[@Paul-45-70]

Ahhh back when our defence decisions were made in Canberra and not like today where they are made in Washington.

[@factfilenews]

Some of these aircraft were later used by the Pakistani airforce.

[@vladsnape6408]

Australia dodged a (metaphoric) bullet by not buying the Lockheed Starfighter. That plane was a flying coffin.

[@davidmurphy8190]

It is a shame about the F-104G, because its range, payload, maneuverability, and MMH/FH numbers would not have made it a good choice for the RAAF. It is better that the decisions for Australia should be made in Canberra ACT and not in Washington, DC. From my limited (30 yrs) experience with the US defense industry, the SSN program is going to be a dud for the RAN.

[@timp3931]

Too bad, the RCAF pilots loved their '104s'.

[@raymondtingting6364]

At 1.9 Mach it's faster than a Hawker Harrier, so there are pros and cons

[@keithprinn720]

what did they face and operate against?

[@jakobholgersson4400]

I'd love to know more about the selection process. What other candidates were considered? Why was the Mirage selected over, let's say, the Draken?

[@rip7TEAR]

I was a aircraft structural fitter from 1982 to1988 including training time. Was posted to 481 sqn/wing. Worked on miracles until FA 18 enterad service. Then posted to 2OCU on hornets. Worked with many experienced metalworkers from butterworth and siani. Loved the Mirage . Always thought Australia should have bought Mirage 2000's. Hornets are overrated and F35's are junk. USA crap. Personal opinion based on observation not biased by being employed by USA crap manufacturers. Our modern RAAF is high tech but really a joke, probably worth about a week in combat if a coflict with China ever happens. I am dissapointed and a bit sad about what Australia has become.

[@DaveSCameron]

These bloody French, can't live with them, can't conquer them! 😂 P. S. For anyone who doubts it this comment is of the sincerely jocular variety and I understand some people may not get it but that doesn't mean it is anything other than a well meaning and intended post. Best wishes. ☘️

[@jimfashik]

Aussie Aussie Aussie oh oh oh❤❤❤😂😂😂😂

[@nudibanches]

I always loved the Mirage as a kid although a good friend of my parents died flying one in the early ‘70s at Williamtown. He left a young wife and kids my age.

[@richardmurphy9006]

Now everything french is crook well how do you do

[@criostoirashtin11]

40 lost from 100?

[@RB28v]

Over 40 lost in accidents & they never saw operational deployment in a warzone? Wow. So a more than a third lost

[@dukeford8893]

40 over a 25 year period is a reasonable attrition rate.

[@RB28v]

@@dukeford8893 losing a Mirage every seven and a half months for 25 years straight isn’t great

[@dukeford8893]

@@RB28v By modern standards, second-generation supersonic fighters tended to crash a lot. The attrition rate of the Mirage was comparable with it's contemporaries.

[@12345fowler]

@@dukeford8893 And it seems they were training HARD. WHen you do low level / hight speed stuff with a "primitive" fighter (compared to Gen 4 fighters) you know you are going to lose quite a lot by attrition. Like the pilots said : it was hard work and pretty dangerous too.

[@LevkoDurko-ly1fn]

Dassault: "ault"="[o]"!.. Resume: not [dasOLT], but [dasO]!!. Checkout French language orthography rules!!! ... P.S. May be fly to Canada: it's closer than France?.. ©

[@nebojsaknezevic977]

Over third of all Mirages III in Australia got destroyed, and that's without seeing combat even remotely.

[@brettorocks8905]

aka the flying coffin

[@illegalbeast87]

Why didn’t they buy Lightning?

[@danielplantaganistaapacheb4401]

It was just a mirage! 😂

[@Eric-kn4yn]

Thank gosh mirage 3 not starfighter

[@Eric-kn4yn]

Dassualt pre ww2 name bloch a 🇮🇱 a/c designer 😊

[@alistairmills7608]

You are wrong with respect to the Mirage never firing it's weapons in anger. You need to research the Malaysian Chris where Mirage crews took off from Darwin with Mantra Missiles and came back empty after intercepting some infantry transport aircraft on their way to invade Malaysia.

[@raafdocumentaries]

I don't know anything about this incident at all - please provide details.

[@raafdocumentaries]

I've just had another look at the Mark Lax book "Malayan Emergency and Indonesian Confrontation" and there is no mention of the Mirage at all. Where are you getting your information from?

[@lllordllloyd]

And today, when we need any weapon and even if we don't, the Liberal party's senior ministers, preferably one with zero expertise in the area, goes to lunch with some American weapons salesmen. As they're already big donors and ready to offer a post-political 'job' as a non-working 'consultant', the outcome is assurred. The Labor Party will continue the contract, however stupid, for fear of being lambasted in the Murdoch press as 'weak on national security'. (Murdoch also has fingers in the financial pie). No need for the services to assess their needs, no need for a competitive tender.