Mirage IV | The unthinkable secret of the Cold War

We are investigating the Mirage IV and what might be its true purpose. #mirageiv #Dassault #militaryaviation
Why did France develop a strategic jet bomber like the Mirage IV?
Which changes were made on the aircraft during its service time to respond to new requirements?
Were the operational doctrines of the Mirage IV realistic?
What might be the true purpose of the Mirage IV?
00:00 Introduction
01:16 Historical background
02:27 Programme history
06:16 Design
08:41 Specifications (Mirage IVA)
09:47 Operational use
11:07 Analysis
Welcome to our new content. As the Weapon Detective, we investigate modern weapon systems of the Second Cold War. The Weapon Legends is about the older weapon systems. In our videos, we tell their epic stories, which made them a legend. The Weapon Legends investigates these stories, reads between the lines, analyse, and tells the untold. In our videos, you can find technical information, historical backgrounds, what happened during the development processes, combat experience and political projection. Let the wisdom of history show us what the future would be like. Let’s investigate the veteran weapons of the past together.
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Music: French Army March - The Lorraine March
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[@WeaponDetective]

Due to some copyright problems, our channel is in danger of closing. To solve this problem, we are planning to make some changes. We are thinking of a new format without a documentary style in that our narrator will tell you the story directly on the screen, or we will use an animated narrator. What are your views on this subject? Let's discuss it together. Please click the link to watch our other Weapon Legends videos kzbin.info/aero/PLEMWqyRZP_Lq9j4Wz2QHo6dptTW3-tdIo Please click the link to watch our other French Systems videos kzbin.info/aero/PLEMWqyRZP_LoxjAFtfDr8wwS6K_51gZ0x Please click the link to watch our other Weapon Legends-Air videos videoskzbin.info/aero/PLEMWqyRZP_Lpl6SQpA2WBti_WsykOgtgy

[@habahan4257]

My vote for a real man

[@olivierpuyou3621]

It would be dramatic if this informative channel had to close its doors. I think it would be more "friendly" (convivial) to see a real person but whatever your final decision, I would be very saddened if this channel went out of business. Soutien complet de France.

[@k.kavala]

Gerçek bir insanın konuyu anlatması daha iyi olur.

[@yarmud]

​@@habahan4257 women struggle to find a Real Man nowadays how are you going to find one? Yet why not a woman?

[@eseetoh]

Or u can do something similar like on Binkov's Battlegrounds. Not a sock puppet exactly but a different form of proxy narrator. But what generally is the problem u have now with the off screen narration format?

[@olivierpuyou3621]

I recently saw an interview with a former Mirage IV pilot. They were perfectly aware that it was a one-way trip, but the mission took precedence over their survival. I must admit that it still took a lot of balls to fly and get into these planes. This "strategy" of destroying the forces of the Warsaw Pact on German soil was still present with the Pluton and Hades nucléar missiles which only had a range between 450 and 250 km. Fortunately, times have changed. Another great video, thank you.

[@yarmud]

Why not invest on a long range missile than?

[@olivierpuyou3621]

@@yarmud There were some they were deployed on the nuclear submarines but a few years later and there were the missiles in silos on the Albion plateau in the center of France. Let's say that the Mirage IV was the first French nuclear component. Then Mirage IV Air Force, SSBN Marine Nationale and missiles from the Plateau d'Albion Army.

[@martindione386]

@@olivierpuyou3621 is the interview available online? thanks

[@charpentierdamien6601]

My father did his duty in the French Air Force at that time. At Creil AFB in particular, which hosted the Mirage IV with the atomic bomb on standby. Because he was an officer, he could have lunch with pilots sometimes. He knew the Mirage IV had short legs. He once asked a pilot what was the plan to come back if they had to transport the bomb in USSR. The pilot stoically replied there was no plan... My father's mission was to lead a "section" unit and protect the base. But he and his team did not have access to the area where the Mirage IVs were, that area was protected by the special forces.

[@vincentkermorgant]

yeah, my uncle flew them for 20 years

[@jetaddicted]

What is properly un thinkable is that as we speak, NATO countries are ordering the F-35 en masse, argueing that it is the only aircraft type they can use to drop their B-61 bombs. Conventional bombs, that is, so your amazement at the French nuclear pilots flying one way missions remains a thing of today, just: not for the French, as they are now using an ALCM, the ASMP-A.

[@michaelpielorz9283]

The F 35 is the biggest mistake in aviation for the last decades. The US is in despereate search for " customers" of this overpriced pice of junk being aware to have been ripped of by the Lockheed complex !!

[@miltospep21]

As always, a French beauty!

[@Photomosaique]

Marcel Dassault Said: When an aircraft is beautiful, it fly well.

[@modelcommander9059]

What a gorgeous plane. This strategic bomber was not much bigger than a large fighter or interceptor

[@olivierpuyou3621]

It was literally a Mirage III X2

[@StrikeNoir105E]

It was only a meter longer than the Mig-25, which was already an enormous fighter. It also looks like a supersized Mirage III, to the point you could confuse one for the other at first glance.

[@TheNefastor]

It's enormous actually. There's one on display at Le Bourget air museum. EDIT : you can see it refueling at 11:49, this gives a good idea of how big it really is.

[@saltypilotchannel8486]

I've seen one irl, and its huge i have some photo if you want

[@modelcommander9059]

I don’t deny it’s still a big plane! I have a small collection of 3d printed aircraft which includes fighters and other strategic bombers, and the size comparison was interesting

[@georgem4713]

What a plane indeed. Most of the info in the video where new to me. Great storytelling. Greetings from Greece where we adore the creations from Mr Dassault.

[@elyw2174]

One main point forgotten in this analysis is that the nuclear capacities of France wasn’t only on the Mirage IV’s shoulders : since 1971, Nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine was in charge of the attack of cities in USSR and/or other places in case of conflict, with more than 3000 kms capacity with the M-20 ballistic missiles. These were complementary systems offering strategic and tacticals capacities, and it’s still the case today with the Rafale. These capacities were also the guarantee to be independant of NATO’s decisions on this matter, and it was considered as an essential goal to achieve this. Mirage IV regardless its primary mission was and remains one of the most beautiful French aircraft.

[@jean-yveslg719]

There was also an earth missile base in the south of france also launched in 1971 (fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Base_a%C3%A9rienne_200_Apt-Saint-Christol)

[@elyw2174]

@@jean-yveslg719 yep, you’re right. As the Plateau du Larzac is no more active, I didn’t think about it

[@joelcalmet5710]

⁠@@elyw2174 SSBS where not based on « plateau du Larzac » wich is in Massif Central Mountains but beneath the Monts du Vaucluse part of South Alpes Mountains.

[@khaelamensha3624]

As a last warning there was also the nuclear regiments armed with Pluton but it is more tactical nuclear weapons (a concept that always makes me laugh)

[@pilou827]

@@joelcalmet5710 It is indeed the "Plateau d'Albion" rather than "Plateau du Larzac"

[@AxelPoliti]

Very interesting conclusion on the dissuasion du faible au fort. Thank you for the common sense refuelling details.

[@daviddunne4737]

France produces beautiful aircraft. Rafale is a cracker . Even the Americans are impressed.

[@bernhardecklin7005]

de Gaulle was incredibly right!

[@gripen777]

Holy shit I can't believe they made 2000 Mirage variants, insane

[@michaelpielorz9283]

and I can not believe someone believing that (:-)

[@acajutla]

They made at least 4000

[@patlab555]

Not 2000, but 4000... there is a Mirage 4000 😁

[@maximilienleroux8950]

There was a Mirage G8, that is Mirage 8giga or Mirage 8000000000.

[@habahan4257]

Interesting video with a very interesting conclusion. I like the different view angle of this channel

[@josephhaack5711]

Great video, interesting info on French foreign policy and nuclear policy

[@olivierpuyou3621]

We have known the humiliation of the occupation. NEVER AGAIN. I read somewhere that Stalin planned to invade Europe but never ever touch France. (Stalin reflections) "the French are crazy, let's leave them alone."

[@Samuel070793]

The "Will nuke you as a warning" meme plane.😮

[@rienneant7607]

"Tearing a paw off the Soviet bear" was basically the central idea. Or, in strategic linguo, making the conquest of France too costly to contemplate for the Soviet Union.

[@FlorentNoirot]

what a beautiful airplane. very slick

[@jaws666]

Another fantastic video...i could watch you for hours if i jad enough time in a day

[@PaulStewartAviation]

Interesting video, thanks!

[@patriciosilvarobalino9832]

Very good video, good infomation!!!

[@sorryociffer]

The French B-58.

[@youdontsay2529]

Pretty much.

[@gabork.8715]

@@youdontsay2529 Pretty much the same as the cancelled British TSR2 programme. But it eventually came out to the low flying Tornado which did the same job. Now replaced by the F-35.

[@yannjam6653]

I don't understand your remark on the necessity to refuel over foreign/allied countries . Was it different for UK's V bombers? Just think about the Palomares accident during in-flight refueling, where did it happen ? And regarding the no-return mission, it was the same for all nations involved in the nuclear deterrence mission.

[@druisteen]

He's biased ...

[@MP-wb5yd]

Fun fact: the mobile part of the air intakes were nicknamed "Mouse" (Souris) in French due to their shape, and iirc were actionned by fuel pressure

[@sdaiwepm]

10:21 This feels like a huge change to the mission parameters!

[@tommygun333]

A beautiful plane!

[@guillaumekalfon9117]

intriguing

[@EdMcF1]

Interesting about the post-drop plans: Sweden or Turkey, an RAF Vulcan pilot with the same job said that was told that the plan was something like: 'Keep going towards Mongolia and find yourself a nice woman'.

[@yannjam6653]

Having released the bomb somewhere in the middle of the Soviet Union, Mongolia is not just behind the next ridge line. It's still a long way in the east.

[@ronjon7942]

@@yannjam6653Yes. Kinda how the joke works.

[@Vikingdescendent]

Art that could deliver a nuclear weapon! Beautiful aircraft!

[@andreteissierducros4756]

Everything here is accurate. Only one remark : I understood that from Day One pilots liked the plane. It was easy to develop, with minimal bugs and trouble, and very enjoyable to fly. A consequence of Marcel Dassault’s philosophy. Never create a plane from scratch. Always lmove by incremental steps. Otherwise development is a nightmare. See TSR2, Boeing 2707 SST, Gloster Javelin, others.. and for 30 years the Mirage IV was a success since the French never had to use it. Isn’t it the ideal weapon ?

[@hwkdfs]

You missed the use of the mirage iv as a strategic recon plane. France replaced it by 2000N and Rafale....

[@andreteissierducros4756]

I know.

[@deepskywalker66]

This peace of "strategic crap" was impossible to be used for the purpose. Success. 😐

[@bbunnybb]

much good

[@EduSanjuan777]

One of the sexiest planes ever made.

[@willywilmouth]

Slt....Merci aux USA pour ce témoignage éloquent de cet Avion magnifique qu'était le Mirage IVA....Cdt

[@eseetoh]

Haha with all your great Mirage videos, will you make one on the Kfic-C2 too?

[@fabienhyvert2319]

Hi. Thanks for this vidéo. Do the flyman aggree a no way mission? I thinks tey can. Do the mirage IV can run on the west Germany Sky? Certainly. It perform very well against mirage III interceptors squadrons and Can rampage a soviet column. Moscow was not a possible target because it too far. Mirage IV was the first nuclear spear of France : it can to fly to mach 1.8 for 30 minutes. He traines FAS pilots, concorde Pilotes, he was capable of changing his missions profile, ans gave many service in photo missions. His pilots was the first to train in refuelling, strategic flight, and electronics counter mesures. In this ways, it was thé plane of many premières for France.

[@olivierpuyou3621]

It must have been a good plane if it remained nearly 40 years in service. And then a bomber capable of flying at mach 2.2 there were not many of them in the world.

[@josephhaack5711]

Bon !

[@thomasbessis2809]

Behold the franglais, a french tradition

[@fabienhyvert2319]

@@thomasbessis2809 As english had many french words 😜

[@aterxter3437]

Well, My great uncle was a pilot in the french air force, I am not sure if he flew the mirage 4, but in the family, we were aware of the possibility of a one-way trip to bomb the ussr,

[@MTMind69]

The Mirage IV was not a strategic bomber. France called it one, but they knew it would only drop weapons on troops in central Europe to defend their border. A non-strategic bomber that carried strategic weapons. A scary thought. You may forgoe your criticism to realize France was the focal point for two world wars on their soil. Their immediate neighbors have always been strategic allies or strategic enemies. They do not have the geographic advantage to define a grand strategy with long-range bombers.

[@MECHANISMUS]

a beautiful machine

[@DmitriyKazusiro]

Спасибо за рассказ про данный самолёт. Очень не много о нём кто говорит.

[@BruneSixtine]

Czech Republic of the USSR had to deal with France in case of war, so most likely preemptive strikes would have been done primarily on Czech Republic, not Germany.

[@timothygrey9900]

Externally Mirage looks like a typical jet fighter from 1950-1960s)

[@Emperorvalse]

Attempt to sell it to the RAAF. I didn't know that. I wonder if that was to replace the Canberras or as a replacement for the delayed F111? Would have been interesting RAAF with the Mirage III and also the Mirage IV.

[@Juanlu.]

Una demostración más de que los franceses "van a su bola", da igual las alianzas que hayan suscrito. Ya lo demostraron en los 90, en la guerra de Yugoslavia.

[@misterbig9025]

If France offered Mirage IV to China, I'm sure they would buy them.

[@olivierpuyou3621]

Technology over 50 years old? And then is it reasonable to sell such planes to a potential enemy?

[@leyasep5919]

why "offer" or "buy" when you can steal and copy ? 🙂

[@Duron13]

​@@olivierpuyou3621 I think he meant at the time.

[@hennies9509]

The French were cleveŕ, having a bomb and a means of delivering it makes a lot of sense.

[@sergarlantyrell7847]

Your English is quite good, however native-speakers wouln't say "point sixty-eight meters", in fact any numbers after the decimal point are just read as a string of individual didgets, not 1 whole number as it quickly gets confusing with more didgets (eg saying 0.2865 m as "point two-thousand, eight-hundred and sixty-five"... would be madness!). Rather, we would say "[nought] point six, eight meters", though in that particular case, shifting units slightly and just saying "sixty-eight centimetres" would be far more common.

[@ioanbota9397]

They are powerful

[@Piltribus]

was the metal body intended as part of a mirror effect camouflage ?

[@rizzochuenringe669]

So the French planned to drop nuclear bombs on German soil in order to repel Soviets invaders. Well, that sounds pretty much the same as what the US, and presumably Britain, had in mind as well. And you call this "unthinkable"? It was common knowledge in Germany.

[@TheErceville]

"Dassault", you can pronounce it like "dasso" not "dassu" In French "au" is pronounced "o" and the "lt" after "au" is silent... Don't ask why it is like that...

[@henrikwannheden7114]

In the case of a very heated Cold War scenario, wouldn't France be able to relocate to airbases in non nuclear capable NATO countries like Turkey and West Germany? Or relocate to the French territories in the Caribbean and South America, to deter Soviet allies in the region? Is 2500 km from Martinique to Havana in Cuba for instance.

[@rienneant7607]

From 1966 on (and until 1995 IIRC) France operated outside of NATO's military command so the use of West European/Turkish airbases could hypothetically have been subject to conditions France would not have accepted then.

[@Sacto1654]

I think the French should have retired the Mirage IV with a variant of the Mirage 4000 instead.

[@saltypilotchannel8486]

The mirage 2000 can do the same mission for cheaper

[@Sacto1654]

@@saltypilotchannel8486 But the Mirage 2000 has only a fraction of the range of the old Mirage IV.

[@saltypilotchannel8486]

@@Sacto1654 yep

[@stug77]

Madness!? This is France!

[@leyasep5919]

which got tired of the invasions during WW1 and WW2, so it got a bit proactive.

[@sohrabroozbahani4700]

At the end these were replaced by M2000N in the role of nuclear bomber, anybody knows what's the difference between a 2000N and 2000D... I mean, what equipment does N have that makes it capable of dropping a bomb which D doesn't... are they somehow nuke proof or something...

[@mintberrycrunch6657]

they're equipped with specific terrain recognition software for low altitude flights

[@rienneant7607]

Activating a 2000N squadron is a political/diplomatic move as much as a military one, mostly. When you think 2000Ns you think nuclear-tipped ASMPs.

[@Ade-mu4zn]

🇮🇩🇮🇩🇮🇩🇮🇩

[@josephhaack5711]

How was its flight characteristics?

[@olivierpuyou3621]

It was one of the few aircraft of its time to fly at twice the speed of sound and deliver nuclear death. And excuse me if I'm wrong, the only plane in the world (at the time) that could fly at twice the speed of sound for more than 30 minutes. Now I could be wrong.

[@fabienhyvert2319]

Mac 2.2, 18000 meter high, for 30 minutes max because the heat limit of 180 degrés because aluminium alloy

[@jbg9118]

@@olivierpuyou3621 Don't forget the Concorde :)

[@Tinmar_Isation]

Dasu?

[@dineshsingh-gb6un]

Range 4000 km he jubki Sukhoi 30 ki 3000 ferry rangehe

[@olivierpuyou3621]

Hello citizen of the world. Long live peace and understanding between peoples. greetings from France.

[@earthwormjim357]

Would they possibly have a buddy-buddy refuel within their mission to extend their range instead of just go suicide…?

[@BR-kv5kj]

The goal of french strategic weaponry is not to destroy entire USSR but to weakness Moscow's power before their duel with USA. That's why USSR wanted to include french and british nuclear forces in START and SALT negociations. The main reason of france for having independant nuclear bomb was the severe trauma of german occupation in the 40's. Gen. de Gaulle said : "more the suicide than new occupation and civilian war". Excuse me for my poor english. I was a french officer (now retired) involved in nuclear questions. Thanks a lot for your tribute to this fantastic plane which I flew aside.

[@FlorentNoirot]

France, what a country back then. Great minds and balls. unlike what we have today

[@philchristmas4071]

Its hard to believe France once had a plan like this, to later almost sell Russia aircraft carriers.

[@rienneant7607]

Helo carriers/Landing ships. The only carrier French exported AFAIK was to Brazil, the old Clemenceau.

[@ASH9366]

Indian mirage jet's recently destroyed Pakistani terrorists base's deep inside POK ...

[@rikulappi9664]

The plan was excellent. Had France nuked the USSR the safest job for a French pilot would have been to fly a jet to Sweden OUT from Russia.

[@jaws666]

The part about it having to land in sweden wouldnt work as sweden wasnt (and still isnt ) part of nato....turkey maybe as that is a nato member

[@juanmillaruelo7647]

DeGaulle took France out of the *Organization*, but remained part of the *alliance*. It also sent packing SHAPE (nato HQ Europe) from Paris to Brussels. French defense became "tous azimuts", that is to say targeted to *any* attack, no attacker was singled out (at least officially). Under François Mitterrand France returned to NATO, the Organization. Until then French defense was officially unattached and independent. French nuclear doctrine remained "franco-française" with no strings attached. The memory of three invasions in two generations was the main reason. The USA nixing the Suez operation was perceived as yet another humiliation. It decided to go it alone. It takes pluck to do something like this.

[@ronjon7942]

Could pull up a lawn chair and watch this craft take off and land all day. With some ear muffs.

[@radovandoderovic9179]

8 h a g o

[@radovandoderovic9179]

SLEEP WORK EDUCATION

[@dineshsingh-gb6un]

Ye Pakistani pe he

[@tumslucks9781]

Please speak Engalezee.

[@LD-oq9lx]

I don't buy this secret role narrative, The purpose of the Mirage IV as advertised still stands, the use of nuclear weapons on another nuclear power would inevitably result in a "mutually assured destruction" scenario being enacted, The mirage IV's one way range is more than adequate for a mission for which there is no home to return to, by the time the aircraft came into service, the idea of using strategic warheads for tactical use had been generally discarded ,additionaly, why on earth would the French waste resources on making the Pluton tactical warhead launcher if the mirage IV could be used instead, the Pluton's nature fits that "secret role" far better and french cold war army planning seems to fit that idea since the artillery regiments of the 1st, 2nd and 3rd army corps (the sole bearers of Pluton missile in the french armed forces) were all stationed in proximity of the franco-german border en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Outline_of_the_French_Army_at_the_end_of_the_Cold_War.

[@MadManchou]

French doctrine is that the airborne component of the nuclear arsenal (also the ground launched tactical missiles) is for final warning. The weapons have a relatively low yield and would not be used on major cities, thus (in theory) not necessarily provoking a retaliation strike. The point of the strike is to prove France is absolutely determined to nuke any country that threatens it - so they better stop right there or face doom from submarine launched ICBMs, which are much more powerful, and trained on all potential enemies' major population centers.

[@druisteen]

hhj

[@kismisperang9422]

france vs russia, who will win...

[@gabork.8715]

France. Russians have more people to sacrifice, and the French have more brains.

[@athrunzala6770]

nobody I think .. especially if the Russians try to attack the French territory ... but given the results of the Russian army in Ukraine ... we still have time before they arrive in Paris

[@alfaeco15]

Just use ICBMs

[@rienneant7607]

France had land-based IRBMs and sub-launched ICBMs. The Mirage IV offered a somewhat intermediary response, a form of "last warning before going all-in nuclear"

[@owlnyc666]

What plane has replaced the Mirage IV? France would use nuclear weapons on Russians in Germany before the Russians got to France! 😎😇

[@martindione386]

the Mirage 2000N replaced it

[@leneanderthalien]

@@martindione386 and now the Rafale (with a nuclear ASMPA supersonic (mach 4) cruise missile)...But the old doctrine to fire nukes to stop soviets on germany is terminated sinze 1993...

[@deepskywalker66]

Frenchies : Les Comédiens Faible...

[@druisteen]

l'obésité en Amérique .... un fléau !

[@pablopeter3564]

A strategic bomber with a short range limitation is a tactical bomber. Another piece of high technological marbel, as the Maginot line was.

[@nicolaspeigne1429]

the maginot line worked, the problem is France fell before the line did

[@pablopeter3564]

@@nicolaspeigne1429 You are right, sorry for my lack of knowledge about this point.

[@FinsburyPhil]

I'm not sure you can say that - the Vulcan was a strategic bomber, but only a medium range, medium bomber; that's all it needed to be to get to western Russia from the UK. It's important not to confuse strategic with intercontinental, which is only really a requirement for the USA and Russia.

[@808bigisland]

You are correct. The West-German, GDR and Poland was the target. French did not trust the US. The Swiss bought the Mirage as a tactical nuclear strike bomber…they were ready to assemble nukes at short notice.

[@rienneant7607]

Logistically speaking the Maginot line allowed the French army to cover 2/3 of the eastern border with 1/3 of the troops which made a lot of sense when you are a 39-million people country facing a 77-million one nd you need the manpower to cover the non-fortified part of the border. Defensive lines still had (and have to this day) their uses, as proven in 1944 Italy or 2023 Ukraine. The real issue was the French generals' inability to envision a more mobile form of warfare despite warning *coughignoringDeGaullecoughcough*

[@SupercellMMA]

Background music is annoying thumbs down

[@zcomme]

If you think it's the new Maginot line, what about the UK Vulcan!? LOL clown

[@kevinblackburn3198]

what a complete failure of a concept. beauty only goes so far.

[@druisteen]

France has accepted the need for refuel, to limit costs. The submarines becoming the number 1 priority , that's a smart move . But i guess you didn't know for the subs ☺