The Dassault Mirage F1 is a French
fighter and
attack aircraft
An attack aircraft, strike aircraft, or attack bomber is a tactical military aircraft that has a primary role of carrying out airstrikes with greater precision than bombers, and is prepared to encounter strong low-level air defenses while pre ...
designed and manufactured by
Dassault Aviation
Dassault Aviation SA () is a French Aerospace manufacturer, manufacturer of military aircraft and business jets.
It was founded in 1929 by Marcel Dassault, Marcel Bloch as Société des Avions Marcel Bloch or "MB". After World War II, Marc ...
. It was developed as a successor to the popular
Mirage III
The Dassault Mirage III () is a family of single/dual-seat, single-engine, fighter aircraft developed and manufactured by French aircraft company Dassault Aviation. It was the first Western European combat aircraft to exceed Mach 2 in horizonta ...
family.
During the 1960s, Dassault commenced development of what would become the Mirage F1 as a private venture, alongside the larger
Mirage F2. Work on the F1 eventually took precedence over the costlier F2, which was cancelled during the late 1960s. The
French Air Force
The French Air and Space Force (AAE) (french: Armée de l'air et de l'espace, ) is the air and space force of the French Armed Forces. It was the first military aviation force in history, formed in 1909 as the , a service arm of the French Army; ...
(''Armée de l'Air'') took interest in the fledgling fighter to meet its requirement for an all-weather
interceptor aircraft
An interceptor aircraft, or simply interceptor, is a type of fighter aircraft designed specifically for the defensive interception role against an attacking enemy aircraft, particularly bombers and reconnaissance aircraft. Aircraft that are cap ...
. Accordingly, initial production units were equipped with the
Thomson-CSF
Thomson-CSF was a French company that specialized in the development and manufacture of electronics with a heavy focus upon the aerospace and defence sectors of the market.
Thomson-CSF was formed in 1968 following the merger of Thomson-Houst ...
Cyrano IV
monopulse radar
Monopulse radar is a radar system that uses additional encoding of the radio signal to provide accurate directional information. The name refers to its ability to extract range and direction from a single signal pulse.
Monopulse radar avoids prob ...
. During the latter half of 1974, the Mirage F1 entered service in the French Air Force. Shortly thereafter, the type was deployed as the main interceptor of the French Air Force, a capacity which it continued to serve in until the arrival of the
Mirage 2000. It later transitioned to an
aerial reconnaissance
Aerial reconnaissance is reconnaissance for a military or strategic purpose that is conducted using reconnaissance aircraft. The role of reconnaissance can fulfil a variety of requirements including artillery spotting, the collection of ima ...
role. In July 2014, the last French Mirage F1s were retired from service.
Powered by a single
SNECMA Atar 9K-50 turbojet
The turbojet is an airbreathing jet engine which is typically used in aircraft. It consists of a gas turbine with a propelling nozzle. The gas turbine has an air inlet which includes inlet guide vanes, a compressor, a combustion chamber, and ...
engine, which provided about of thrust, and armed with an array of French and American-sourced armaments, the Mirage F1 has been operated as a light multipurpose fighter and has been exported to around a dozen nations. The type has seen action in a large number of armed conflicts involving several of its operators, including the
Western Sahara War
The Western Sahara War ( ar, حرب الصحراء الغربية, french: Guerre du Sahara occidental, es, Guerra del Sahara Occidental) was an armed struggle between the Sahrawi indigenous Polisario Front and Morocco from 1975 to 1991 (an ...
, the
Paquisha War
The Paquisha War or Fake Paquisha War () was a military clash that took place between January and February 1981 between Ecuador and Peru over the control of three watchposts. While Peru felt that the matter was already decided in the Ecuadorian ...
, the
Cenepa War
The Cenepa War (26 January – 28 February 1995), also known as the Alto Cenepa War, was a brief and localized military conflict between Ecuador and Peru, fought over control of an area in Peruvian territory (i.e. in the eastern side of the Cord ...
, the
Iran–Iraq War
The Iran–Iraq War was an armed conflict between Iran and Iraq that lasted from September 1980 to August 1988. It began with the Iraqi invasion of Iran and lasted for almost eight years, until the acceptance of United Nations Security Council ...
, the
Gulf War
The Gulf War was a 1990–1991 armed campaign waged by a 35-country military coalition in response to the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait. Spearheaded by the United States, the coalition's efforts against Iraq were carried out in two key phases: ...
, the
South African Border War
The South African Border War, also known as the Namibian War of Independence, and sometimes denoted in South Africa as the Angolan Bush War, was a largely asymmetric conflict that occurred in Namibia (then South West Africa), Zambia, and Angol ...
, the
War in Afghanistan
War in Afghanistan, Afghan war, or Afghan civil war may refer to:
*Conquest of Afghanistan by Alexander the Great (330 BC – 327 BC)
*Muslim conquests of Afghanistan (637–709)
*Conquest of Afghanistan by the Mongol Empire (13th century), see als ...
, the
Chadian–Libyan conflict, the
2011 military intervention in Libya
On 19 March 2011, a multi-state NATO-led coalition began a military intervention in Libya, to implement United Nations Security Council Resolution 1973, in response to events during the First Libyan Civil War. With ten votes in favour and five ...
, and the
Northern Mali conflict
{{Infobox military conflict
, conflict = Mali War
, partof = the Islamist insurgency in the Sahel and the War on terror
, image = MaliWar.svg
, image_size = 380
, caption = Military situation ...
. More than 720 Mirage F1s were manufactured between 1966 and 1992. It was succeeded in production by the
Dassault Mirage 2000
The Dassault Mirage 2000 is a French multirole, single-engine, fourth-generation jet fighter manufactured by Dassault Aviation. It was designed in the late 1970s as a lightweight fighter to replace the Mirage III for the French Air Force (''Arm ...
.
Development
The Mirage F1 emerged from a series of design studies performed by French aircraft manufacturer
Dassault Aviation
Dassault Aviation SA () is a French Aerospace manufacturer, manufacturer of military aircraft and business jets.
It was founded in 1929 by Marcel Dassault, Marcel Bloch as Société des Avions Marcel Bloch or "MB". After World War II, Marc ...
.
Having originally sought to develop a larger
swept wing
A swept wing is a wing that angles either backward or occasionally forward from its root rather than in a straight sideways direction.
Swept wings have been flown since the pioneer days of aviation. Wing sweep at high speeds was first investigate ...
derivative of the
Mirage III
The Dassault Mirage III () is a family of single/dual-seat, single-engine, fighter aircraft developed and manufactured by French aircraft company Dassault Aviation. It was the first Western European combat aircraft to exceed Mach 2 in horizonta ...
, which became the
Mirage F2, to serve as a vertical take-off and landing (
VTOL
A vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft is one that can take off and land vertically without relying on a runway. This classification can include a variety of types of aircraft including helicopters as well as thrust-vectoring fixed-win ...
) propulsion testbed akin to the
Dassault Mirage IIIV
The Dassault Mirage IIIV, also spelled Mirage III V, was a French vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) prototype fighter aircraft of the mid-1960s developed and produced by Dassault Aviation.
The Mirage IIIV was a VTOL derivative of an existi ...
, however, it was soon recognized that the emerging design could function as the basis for a competent fighter as well. Both the Mirage F2 and a smaller derivative, referred to the Mirage F3, received substantial attention from both Dassault and the
French Air Force
The French Air and Space Force (AAE) (french: Armée de l'air et de l'espace, ) is the air and space force of the French Armed Forces. It was the first military aviation force in history, formed in 1909 as the , a service arm of the French Army; ...
, the latter being interested in its adoption as a long-range
fighter bomber
A fighter-bomber is a fighter aircraft that has been modified, or used primarily, as a light bomber or attack aircraft. It differs from bomber and attack aircraft primarily in its origins, as a fighter that has been adapted into other roles, wh ...
as a stopgap measure prior to the adoption of the envisioned
Anglo-French Variable Geometry (AFVG) strike aircraft.
Parallel with the Mirage F3 study, which was intended to serve as an
interceptor aircraft
An interceptor aircraft, or simply interceptor, is a type of fighter aircraft designed specifically for the defensive interception role against an attacking enemy aircraft, particularly bombers and reconnaissance aircraft. Aircraft that are cap ...
, Dassault decided to study a single-seat derivative which featured the all-French
SNECMA Atar 9K-50 turbojet
The turbojet is an airbreathing jet engine which is typically used in aircraft. It consists of a gas turbine with a propelling nozzle. The gas turbine has an air inlet which includes inlet guide vanes, a compressor, a combustion chamber, and ...
engine.
As a result of the cancellation of two major projects, the company's design team found themselves with a decreased workload. Accordingly, in mid-1964, Dassault decided to commence design work on the smaller aircraft, subsequently designated as the ''Mirage F1'', with the intention of producing a successor to its Mirage III and
Mirage 5
The Dassault Mirage 5 is a French supersonic attack aircraft designed by Dassault Aviation during the 1960s and manufactured in France and a number of other countries. It was derived from Dassault's popular Mirage III fighter and spawned sever ...
fighters;
This work was performed under a government contract in anticipation of a potential French Air Force specification for an all-weather interceptor to succeed its fleet of Mirage IIIC aircraft.
![Mirage F1 France](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/22/Mirage_F1_France.jpg)
The Mirage F1 was of similar size to the
delta-wing
A delta wing is a wing shaped in the form of a triangle. It is named for its similarity in shape to the Greek uppercase letter delta (Δ).
Although long studied, it did not find significant applications until the Jet Age, when it proved suitab ...
ed Mirage III and Mirage 5, and was powered by the same SNECMA Atar engine as had been used on the larger
Dassault Mirage IV
The Dassault Mirage IV was a French supersonic strategic bomber and deep- reconnaissance aircraft. Developed by Dassault Aviation, the aircraft entered service with the French Air Force in October 1964. For many years it was a vital part of ...
; however, unlike its predecessors, it shared the layout of a swept wing mounted high on the fuselage and a conventional tail surface as used by the F2.
Although it has a smaller wingspan than the Mirage III, the Mirage F1 nevertheless proved to be superior to its predecessor, carrying more fuel while possessing a shorter take-off run and superior maneuverability.
On 23 December 1966, the first prototype conducted its
maiden flight
The maiden flight, also known as first flight, of an aircraft is the first occasion on which it leaves the ground under its own power. The same term is also used for the first launch of rockets.
The maiden flight of a new aircraft type is alwa ...
.
The first flight had been delayed due to a funding shortage affecting the overall program. During its fourth flight, the prototype was recorded as having attained a top speed in excess of
Mach 2.
On 18 May 1967, the first prototype was lost in an accident at
DGA Essais en vol,
Istres
Istres (; Occitan: Istre) is a commune in southern France, some 60 km (38 mi) northwest of Marseille. It is in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region, in the Bouches-du-Rhône department, of which it is a subprefecture.
Location
...
; the crash had resulted from a loss of control after encountering
flutter, killing its pilot. Despite this misfortune, during late 1966, the Mirage F1 programme was officially adopted by the French Air Force.
Following a redesign period, on 20 March 1967, the second prototype performed its first flight.
On 26 May 1967, an order for three Mirage F1 prototypes was placed, while the larger and more expensive Mirage F2 was formally abandoned.
These three pre-service aircraft, along with a static structural test airframe, soon joined the test programme. By late 1971, the construction of an initial batch of 85 production standard Mirage F1 had been authorised.
In order to comply with the French Air Force's requirement for an all-weather interceptor, the first production ''Mirage F1C'' was equipped with a
Thomson-CSF
Thomson-CSF was a French company that specialized in the development and manufacture of electronics with a heavy focus upon the aerospace and defence sectors of the market.
Thomson-CSF was formed in 1968 following the merger of Thomson-Houst ...
Cyrano IV
radar
Radar is a detection system that uses radio waves to determine the distance (''ranging''), angle, and radial velocity of objects relative to the site. It can be used to detect aircraft, ships, spacecraft, guided missiles, motor vehicles, w ...
system. The later Cyrano IV-1 version added a limited look-down capability.
However, Mirage F1 pilots reported that the radar was prone to overheating, which reduced its efficiency. During May 1973, the first deliveries to the French Air Force took place; the type entered squadron service with EC 2/30 ''
Normandie-Niemen'' in December of that year.
By October 1971, the Mirage F1 was under production at both Dassault's
Bordeaux
Bordeaux ( , ; Gascon oc, Bordèu ; eu, Bordele; it, Bordò; es, Burdeos) is a port city on the river Garonne in the Gironde department, Southwestern France. It is the capital of the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region, as well as the prefectur ...
facility and at
SABCA
SABCA (Sociétés Anonyme Belge de Constructions Aéronautiques) is a Belgian aerospace company. Its main sectors of activity are civil aviation, space and defence.
SABCA was established during 1920. Presently, it is owned by the French aircraf ...
's own plant in
Belgium
Belgium, ; french: Belgique ; german: Belgien officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. The country is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeast, France to th ...
, work at the latter having been performed under an industrial arrangement associated to Belgium's order for 106 Mirage 5 aircraft.
The 79 aircraft of the next production run were delivered during the period March 1977 to December 1983. These were of the ''Mirage F1C-200'' version, which featured a fixed refuelling probe, which required an extension of the fuselage by 7 cm.
Design
![Dassault Mirage F1C 50 30-MB LEB 07](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5f/Dassault_Mirage_F1C_50_30-MB_LEB_07.06.75_edited-2.jpg)
The Dassault Mirage F1 was a single-engine fighter aircraft, designed to function as both an
interceptor aircraft
An interceptor aircraft, or simply interceptor, is a type of fighter aircraft designed specifically for the defensive interception role against an attacking enemy aircraft, particularly bombers and reconnaissance aircraft. Aircraft that are cap ...
and a ground attack platform.
While officially developed for the French Air Force as an air defense aircraft, Dassault had placed considerable emphasis on developing the Mirage F1 for ground attack duties as a secondary role during its early design.
Developed by the company to function as a successor to the successful
Mirage III
The Dassault Mirage III () is a family of single/dual-seat, single-engine, fighter aircraft developed and manufactured by French aircraft company Dassault Aviation. It was the first Western European combat aircraft to exceed Mach 2 in horizonta ...
and
Mirage 5
The Dassault Mirage 5 is a French supersonic attack aircraft designed by Dassault Aviation during the 1960s and manufactured in France and a number of other countries. It was derived from Dassault's popular Mirage III fighter and spawned sever ...
families, it drew heavily upon its predecessors as well, sharing the same fuselage as the Mirage III, while adopting a considerably different wing configuration.
The Mirage F1 used a shoulder-mounted
swept wing
A swept wing is a wing that angles either backward or occasionally forward from its root rather than in a straight sideways direction.
Swept wings have been flown since the pioneer days of aviation. Wing sweep at high speeds was first investigate ...
, instead of the
Delta wing
A delta wing is a wing shaped in the form of a triangle. It is named for its similarity in shape to the Greek uppercase letter delta (Δ).
Although long studied, it did not find significant applications until the Jet Age, when it proved suitabl ...
of the Mirage III, which resulted in a more than 50% reduction in required runway lengths and increased internal fuel tankage for 40% greater combat range.
The approach speed prior to landing is 25% less than the preceding Mirage IIIE. According to Dassault, the negative performance impact associated with the increased thickness of the Mirage F1's wing over the Mirage III's counterpart had been offset by improvements made to the propulsion system.
The wing is fitted with both double-slotted
trailing edge flaps and full-span
leading edge slats
Slats are aerodynamic surfaces on the leading edge of the wing of a fixed-wing aircraft which, when deployed, allow the wing to operate at a higher angle of attack. A higher coefficient of lift is produced as a result of angle of attack and speed, ...
, the latter being automatically operated to reduce the aircraft's turn radius during combat.
A key area of advancement on the Mirage F1 over its predecessors was in its onboard avionics.
The
Thomson-CSF
Thomson-CSF was a French company that specialized in the development and manufacture of electronics with a heavy focus upon the aerospace and defence sectors of the market.
Thomson-CSF was formed in 1968 following the merger of Thomson-Houst ...
Cyrano IV
monopulse radar
Monopulse radar is a radar system that uses additional encoding of the radio signal to provide accurate directional information. The name refers to its ability to extract range and direction from a single signal pulse.
Monopulse radar avoids prob ...
system, developed from the Cyrano II unit installed on the Mirage IIIE, serves as the main sensor; it operates in three different modes:
air-target acquisition and tracking, ground mapping, and
terrain avoidance.
[.] The later Cyrano IV-1 model also provided for a limited
look-down capability.
According to aerospace publication
Flight International
''Flight International'' is a monthly magazine focused on aerospace. Published in the United Kingdom and founded in 1909 as "A Journal devoted to the Interests, Practice, and Progress of Aerial Locomotion and Transport", it is the world's oldes ...
, the Cyrano IV radar was capable of detecting aerial targets at double the range of earlier models.
The standard production Mirage F1 was furnished with an
Instrument Landing System
In aviation, the instrument landing system (ILS) is a precision radio navigation system that provides short-range guidance to aircraft to allow them to approach a runway at night or in bad weather. In its original form, it allows an aircraft to ...
(ILS),
radar altimeter
A radar altimeter (RA), also called a radio altimeter (RALT), electronic altimeter, reflection altimeter, or low-range radio altimeter (LRRA), measures altitude above the terrain presently beneath an aircraft or spacecraft by timing how long it t ...
,
UHF/
VHF radio sets,
Tactical Air Navigation system
A tactical air navigation system, commonly referred to by the acronym TACAN, is a navigation system used by military aircraft. It provides the user with bearing and distance (slant-range or hypotenuse) to a ground or ship-borne station. It is a mor ...
(TACAN) and a ground
data link
A data link is the means of connecting one location to another for the purpose of transmitting and receiving digital information (data communication). It can also refer to a set of electronics assemblies, consisting of a transmitter and a recei ...
. Other avionics include an
autopilot
An autopilot is a system used to control the path of an aircraft, marine craft or spacecraft without requiring constant manual control by a human operator. Autopilots do not replace human operators. Instead, the autopilot assists the operator' ...
and
yaw damper
A yaw damper (sometimes referred to as a stability augmentation system) is a system used to reduce (or damp) the undesirable tendencies of an aircraft to oscillate in a repetitive rolling and yawing motion, a phenomenon known as the Dutch roll. ...
.
The Mirage F1 was powered by a single
SNECMA Atar 9K-50 turbojet
The turbojet is an airbreathing jet engine which is typically used in aircraft. It consists of a gas turbine with a propelling nozzle. The gas turbine has an air inlet which includes inlet guide vanes, a compressor, a combustion chamber, and ...
engine, which was capable of providing roughly of thrust, giving the aircraft a maximum speed of 1,453 MPH and an altitude ceiling of 65,615 feet.
Flight International described the Atar engine as being "unexpectedly simple", despite the adoption of an
afterburner
An afterburner (or reheat in British English) is an additional combustion component used on some jet engines, mostly those on military supersonic aircraft. Its purpose is to increase thrust, usually for supersonic flight, takeoff, and comba ...
.
An improved engine, initially known as the ''Super Atar'' and later as the
Snecma M53, was intended to be eventually adopted on production Mirage F1 aircraft, as well as for successor aircraft.
The initial armament of the Mirage F1 was a pair of internal 30 mm cannons, and a single
Matra R530 medium-range
air-to-air missile
The newest and the oldest member of Rafael's Python family of AAM for comparisons, Python-5 (displayed lower-front) and Shafrir-1 (upper-back)
An air-to-air missile (AAM) is a missile fired from an aircraft for the purpose of destroying a ...
, which was carried under the fuselage.
It could carry a total combined payload of 13,889lb of
bomb
A bomb is an explosive weapon that uses the Exothermic process, exothermic reaction of an explosive material to provide an extremely sudden and violent release of energy. Detonations inflict damage principally through ground- and atmosphere-t ...
s and missiles, all of which would be carried externally.
After 1979, the medium-range R530 was replaced by the improved
Matra Super 530 F missile as the latter came into service in quantity with the French Air Force. In 1977, the
R550 Magic
The R.550 Magic (backronym for ''Missile Auto-Guidé Interception et Combat'') is a short-range air-to-air missile designed in 1968 by French company Matra to compete with the American AIM-9 Sidewinder, and it was made backwards compatible with ...
was released, which the Mirage F1 mounted on wingtip rails. Around the same time, the American
AIM-9 Sidewinder
The AIM-9 Sidewinder (where "AIM" stands for "Air Intercept Missile") is a short-range air-to-air missile which entered service with the US Navy in 1956 and subsequently was adopted by the US Air Force in 1964. Since then the Sidewinder has prov ...
was also introduced to the Mirage F1's armament; both the
Spanish
Spanish might refer to:
* Items from or related to Spain:
**Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain
**Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many Latin American countries
**Spanish cuisine
Other places
* Spanish, Ontario, Can ...
and
Hellenic Air Force
, colours =
, colours_label =
, march =
, mascot =
, anniversaries = 8 November
, equipment =
, equipment_label ...
s had requested the integration of the Sidewinder upon their own Mirage F1CE and Mirage F1CG fighters.
Operational history
France
During 1984, the first operational deployment to be performed by French Air Force Mirage F1s was conducted during
Operation Manta
Operation Manta was a French military intervention in Chad between 1983 and 1984, during the Chadian–Libyan conflict. The operation was prompted by the invasion of Chad by a joint force of Libyan units and Chadian Transitional Government of Na ...
, the French intervention in
Chad
Chad (; ar, تشاد , ; french: Tchad, ), officially the Republic of Chad, '; ) is a landlocked country at the crossroads of North and Central Africa. It is bordered by Libya to the north, Sudan to the east, the Central African Republic ...
to counteract the growing
Libyan encroachment in the region. A force of four Mirage F1C-200s provided air cover for a further group of four
Jaguar
The jaguar (''Panthera onca'') is a large cat species and the only living member of the genus '' Panthera'' native to the Americas. With a body length of up to and a weight of up to , it is the largest cat species in the Americas and the th ...
strike aircraft; they also participated in a number of skirmishes against pro-Libyan
Transitional Government of National Unity
The Transitional Government of National Unity (''Gouvernement d'Union Nationale de Transition'' or GUNT) was the coalition government of armed groups that nominally ruled Chad from 1979 to 1982, during the most chaotic phase of the long-running ci ...
(GUNT) rebels.
![Two_French_air_force_Dassault_Mirage_F1C_aircraft](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e2/Two_French_air_force_Dassault_Mirage_F1C_aircraft.jpg)
In 1986, French Mirage F1s were redeployed to Chad as part of
Operation Epervier
Operation or Operations may refer to:
Arts, entertainment and media
* ''Operation'' (game), a battery-operated board game that challenges dexterity
* Operation (music), a term used in musical set theory
* ''Operations'' (magazine), Multi-Ma ...
. A flight of four F1C-200s provided fighter cover for a strike package of eight Jaguars during the
air raid against the Libyan airbase at Ouadi Doum, on 16 February.
A pair of F1CRs also conducted pre and post-strike
reconnaissance
In military operations, reconnaissance or scouting is the exploration of an area by military forces to obtain information about enemy forces, terrain, and other activities.
Examples of reconnaissance include patrolling by troops (skirmisher ...
missions.
In response to the Iraqi
invasion of Kuwait
The Iraqi invasion of Kuwait was an operation conducted by Iraq on 2 August 1990, whereby it invaded the neighboring State of Kuwait, consequently resulting in a seven-month-long Iraqi military occupation of the country. The invasion and Ira ...
, France performed two deployments of Mirage F1s to the Persian Gulf. In October 1990, 12 Mirage F1Cs were dispatched to
Doha
Doha ( ar, الدوحة, ad-Dawḥa or ''ad-Dōḥa'') is the capital city and main financial hub of Qatar. Located on the Persian Gulf coast in the east of the country, north of Al Wakrah and south of Al Khor, it is home to most of the coun ...
,
Qatar
Qatar (, ; ar, قطر, Qaṭar ; local vernacular pronunciation: ), officially the State of Qatar,) is a country in Western Asia. It occupies the Qatar Peninsula on the northeastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula in the Middle East; it sh ...
in order to boost air defences, while a further four Mirage F1CRs of ER 33 were deployed to
Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia, officially the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), is a country in Western Asia. It covers the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and has a land area of about , making it the fifth-largest country in Asia, the second-largest in the A ...
as part of
Operation Daguet in September 1990.
[.] To avoid the risk of being mistaken for hostile Iraqi Mirage F1s, all of the French F1CRs were grounded during the first few days of the Allied air attacks, flying their first combat mission on 26 January 1991; an additional reason for their initial grounding was the lack of compatible night vision equipment.
They were used in the fighter bomber role, using their more capable navigation systems to lead formations of French
Jaguar
The jaguar (''Panthera onca'') is a large cat species and the only living member of the genus '' Panthera'' native to the Americas. With a body length of up to and a weight of up to , it is the largest cat species in the Americas and the th ...
fighter bombers, as well as to fly reconnaissance missions; in this capacity, 114 sorties had been flown by the end of hostilities.
Following the end of the Gulf War, France deployed a number of Mirage F1CRs to bases in neighbouring Turkey as part of
Operation Provide Comfort
Operation Provide Comfort and Provide Comfort II were military operations initiated by the United States and other Coalition nations of the Persian Gulf War, starting in April 1991, to defend Kurdish refugees fleeing their homes in northern ...
to protect Kurds from Iraqi aggression.
![Multinational group of fighter jets during Operation Desert Shield](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/40/Multinational_group_of_fighter_jets_during_Operation_Desert_Shield.JPEG)
In October 2007, three Mirage 2000s and three Mirage F1s were deployed at
Kandahar Air Force Base, where they flew
close air support
In military tactics, close air support (CAS) is defined as air action such as air strikes by fixed or rotary-winged aircraft against hostile targets near friendly forces and require detailed integration of each air mission with fire and moveme ...
and tactical reconnaissance missions in support of international forces in Southern
Afghanistan
Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan,; prs, امارت اسلامی افغانستان is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia. Referred to as the Heart of Asia, it is bordere ...
.
The last French unit to be equipped with the Mirage F1 was the Escadron de Reconnaissance 2/33 ''Savoie'', home-based at Mont-de-Marsan, which flew the latest version of the F1CR. The unit's primary mission was tactical reconnaissance, with a secondary mission of ground-attack; because of the unique missions of the 2/33, their unofficial motto among the pilots had become, "Find; Identify; and Photograph or Destroy." In accordance with a bilateral defense agreement between France and Chad, a pair of 2/33 F1CRs, along with 3 pilots, a photo interpreter, an intelligence officer and ground crews were always deployed to N'Djamena, Chad. The two 2/33 F1CRs operated with three Mirage 2000Ds, also based on rotation from France to Chad.
During March 2011, 2/33 Mirage F1CRs were deployed to
Solenzara Air Base
Air Base 126 Solenzara (french: Base aérienne 126 Solenzara) is a French Air and Space Force (Armée de l'air et de l'espace) (ALAE) base located in the village of Ventiseri approximately 40 km north-northeast of Porto-Vecchio on Corsica.
I ...
,
Corsica
Corsica ( , Upper , Southern ; it, Corsica; ; french: Corse ; lij, Còrsega; sc, Còssiga) is an island in the Mediterranean Sea and one of the 18 regions of France. It is the fourth-largest island in the Mediterranean and lies southeast of ...
and conducted reconnaissance missions over
Libya
Libya (; ar, ليبيا, Lībiyā), officially the State of Libya ( ar, دولة ليبيا, Dawlat Lībiyā), is a country in the Maghreb region in North Africa. It is bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to Egypt–Libya bo ...
(also a Mirage F1 operator) as part of
Opération Harmattan
Opération Harmattan was the French participation in the 2011 military intervention in Libya. It was named for the Harmattan, which are hot dry winds that blow over the Sahara, mostly between November and March. The United States' counterpart ...
.
In 2013 2/33 F1CRs also participated in
Operation Serval
Operation Serval (french: Opération Serval) was a French military operation in Mali. The aim of the operation was to oust Islamic militants from the north of Mali, who had begun a push into the center of Mali.
Operation Serval followed the ...
in Mali. On 10 January, launching from their base in N'Djamena in Chad, the first French air intervention mission against Islamist rebels in Mali, was undertaken by F1CRs and Mirage 2000Ds, supported by a French Air Force C-135 tanker. The 2/33 F1CRs provided valuable photo information for strike aircraft flying the next day from France. Later on 16 January, two 2/33 F1CRs, were deployed from Chad to Bamako, Mali. Both aircraft were fitted with extra long range 2,200 liter ventral tanks; and when operating over Mali also carried two 250 kg unguided bombs, plus their internal 30mm cannons, in case they were called on for close air support missions.
In order to replace the elderly F1CRs of ER 2/33, a number of
Rafales were outfitted with an advanced reconnaissance pod. The Rafale's range, maneuverability and combat load is far superior to the F1CR that it replaces, as well as its reconnaissance capabilities: after the Rafale's pod has taken photographs, these can be almost instantly transmitted back to its base or where the imagery would be required if provisioned with compatible down link equipment.
[Gasztych, Christophe. "Savoie's AUTUMN." ''Air Force's Monthly'', March 2013, p. 44.] The French Air Force's last Mirage F1 fighters were retired from operational service on 13 June 2014. The last units in service, these being 11 single-seat Mirage F1CRs and three two-seat F1Bs were transferred to storage; six aircraft performed a final appearance in a flypast during
Bastille Day
Bastille Day is the common name given in English-speaking countries to the national day of France, which is celebrated on 14 July each year. In French, it is formally called the (; "French National Celebration"); legally it is known as (; "t ...
celebrations over Paris prior to their disposal.
Ecuador
Between 1979 and 1980, Ecuador received 16 F1JAs (a variant of the F1E) and a pair of F1JEs. The Ecuadorian Air Force's (FAE) squadron of Mirage F1JAs (''Escuadrón de Caza 2112'') went into action in January–February 1981 during the brief
Paquisha War
The Paquisha War or Fake Paquisha War () was a military clash that took place between January and February 1981 between Ecuador and Peru over the control of three watchposts. While Peru felt that the matter was already decided in the Ecuadorian ...
between
Ecuador
Ecuador ( ; ; Quechua: ''Ikwayur''; Shuar: ''Ecuador'' or ''Ekuatur''), officially the Republic of Ecuador ( es, República del Ecuador, which literally translates as "Republic of the Equator"; Quechua: ''Ikwadur Ripuwlika''; Shuar: ''Eku ...
and
Peru
, image_flag = Flag of Peru.svg
, image_coat = Escudo nacional del Perú.svg
, other_symbol = Great Seal of the State
, other_symbol_type = Seal (emblem), National seal
, national_motto = "Fi ...
, less than two years after the aircraft had been delivered to the FAE. At that time, the Ecuadorians decided against directly challenging the
Peruvian Air Force
The Peruvian Air Force ( es, link=no, Fuerza Aérea del Perú, FAP) is the branch of the Peruvian Armed Forces tasked with defending the nation and its interests through the use of air power. Additional missions include assistance in safeguardin ...
(abbreviated FAP), whose
Mirage 5Ps and
Sukhoi Su-22
The Sukhoi Su-17 (''izdeliye'' S-32) is a variable-sweep wing fighter-bomber developed for the Soviet military. Its NATO reporting name is "Fitter". Developed from the Sukhoi Su-7, the Su-17 was the first variable-sweep wing aircraft to enter ...
were providing air cover to Peruvian heliborne operations within the combat zone. Instead, the Mirages were kept at a distance, performing combat air patrols (CAPs) on the fringes of the combat area, in case the border clashes escalated into wider hostilities. During one incident, a Peruvian
Sukhoi Su-22
The Sukhoi Su-17 (''izdeliye'' S-32) is a variable-sweep wing fighter-bomber developed for the Soviet military. Its NATO reporting name is "Fitter". Developed from the Sukhoi Su-7, the Su-17 was the first variable-sweep wing aircraft to enter ...
was intercepted and a single air-to-air R.550 missile was launched; however, it failed to strike the Peruvian aircraft.
![Mirage F1JA in flight over Ecuador 1986](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d7/Mirage_F1JA_in_flight_over_Ecuador_1986.JPEG)
In 1995, during the
Cenepa War
The Cenepa War (26 January – 28 February 1995), also known as the Alto Cenepa War, was a brief and localized military conflict between Ecuador and Peru, fought over control of an area in Peruvian territory (i.e. in the eastern side of the Cord ...
, the Ecuadorian Mirages went back into action against Peru. This time, while the bulk of the squadron was kept back at Taura AFB, a small detachment of Mirage F1s and
Kfir C.2s was deployed to undisclosed forward air bases to dissuade Peruvian attack aircraft from entering the combat zone. By this time, the planes had been upgraded with
Israel
Israel (; he, יִשְׂרָאֵל, ; ar, إِسْرَائِيل, ), officially the State of Israel ( he, מְדִינַת יִשְׂרָאֵל, label=none, translit=Medīnat Yīsrāʾēl; ), is a country in Western Asia. It is situated ...
i electronics and
Python Mk.III air-to-air missiles, usually mounted on the outer underwing pylons, and Matra
R550 Magic
The R.550 Magic (backronym for ''Missile Auto-Guidé Interception et Combat'') is a short-range air-to-air missile designed in 1968 by French company Matra to compete with the American AIM-9 Sidewinder, and it was made backwards compatible with ...
AAMs on wing-tip launch rails.
On 10 February 1995, a pair of Mirage F1JAs, piloted by Maj. Raúl Banderas and Capt. Carlos Uzcátegui, were directed over five targets approaching the combat zone in the Cenepa valley. After making visual contact, the Mirages fired their missiles, claiming two Peruvian Su-22Ms shot down, while a Kfir claimed a further
A-37B Dragonfly. Sources in Peru, however, deny the claim that the Sukhois Su-22Ms were shot down by Ecuadorian aircraft, stating that one was shot down by Ecuadorian
anti-aircraft artillery
Anti-aircraft warfare, counter-air or air defence forces is the battlespace response to aerial warfare, defined by NATO as "all measures designed to nullify or reduce the effectiveness of hostile air action".AAP-6 It includes surface based, ...
fire during a low flying ground-attack mission, while the second was lost because of an engine fire. Banderas served as Commander of the Ecuadorian Air Force between May 2014 and February 2016, while Uzcátegui died in a training accident in 2002 at
Salinas air base
Salinas Municipal Airport is an airport in Monterey County, California, Monterey County, California, United States, three miles (4.8 km) southeast of Downtown Salinas, California, Salinas. It is included in the 2017–21 National Plan of I ...
, in the
Santa Elena Province
The Province of Santa Elena () is a province of Ecuador in the coastal region. Created in 2007 from territory that belonged to the Guayas Province, it is one of the two newest provinces of Ecuador, along with Santo Domingo de Los Tsáchilas. It ...
.
In 2011, all of the remaining Ecuadorian Mirage F1s still in service were retired after having flown more than 33,000 flight hours during their 32 years in active service; they were replaced by a squadron of
Atlas Cheetah
The Atlas Cheetah is a South African fighter aircraft designed and produced by the aviation company Atlas Aircraft Corporation (later Denel Aeronautics). It was developed at the behest of, and principally operated by, the South African Air F ...
fighters bought from South Africa.
Greece
![20081109-LGTG-MirageF1CG-124](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/be/20081109-LGTG-MirageF1CG-124.JPG)
Greece operated 40 Dassault Mirage F1CG single-seat fighters. The F1CG was first ordered in 1974 and entered service with the
Hellenic Air Force
, colours =
, colours_label =
, march =
, mascot =
, anniversaries = 8 November
, equipment =
, equipment_label ...
in 1975
The aircraft were used by 334 Squadron and 342 Squadron.
Mirage F1CGs were armed with the
AIM-9P missile, rather than the more commonly used
R.550 Magic
The R.550 Magic (backronym for ''Missile Auto-Guidé Interception et Combat'') is a short-range air-to-air missile designed in 1968 by French company Matra to compete with the American AIM-9 Sidewinder, and it was made backwards compatible with t ...
, and could carry four AIM-9Ps, rather than just two.
The Hellenic Air Force retired the remaining 27 Mirage F1CGs on 30 June 2003 after 28 years of service and 160,000 flying hours.
A number of F1CG aircraft have been preserved, permanently grounded, for display. At least four are preserved in
Tanagra
Tanagra ( el, Τανάγρα) is a town and a municipality north of Athens in Boeotia, Greece. The seat of the municipality is the town Schimatari. It is not far from Thebes, and it was noted in antiquity for the figurines named after it. The ...
(LGTG),
Greece
Greece,, or , romanized: ', officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the southern tip of the Balkans, and is located at the crossroads of Europe, Asia, and Africa. Greece shares land borders with ...
(115, 124, 129 and 140).
One more (134) is preserved at the HAF History Department, Delta Falirou.
Iraq
Starting in 1977 and continuing through the 1980s,
Iraq
Iraq,; ku, عێراق, translit=Êraq officially the Republic of Iraq, '; ku, کۆماری عێراق, translit=Komarî Êraq is a country in Western Asia. It is bordered by Turkey to Iraq–Turkey border, the north, Iran to Iran–Iraq ...
placed several orders for Mirage F1s. Although the first version, designated as the Mirage F1EQ, was quite similar to the original French Mirage F1C,
those developed subsequently were increasingly modified with custom-tailored equipment (notably in the field of electronic warfare), according to the Iraqis' wishes. During this period, France was a major supplier of military equipment to the nation; in 1983, the former loaned five
Super Étendards to Iraq while the latter was awaiting the delivery of the
Exocet
The Exocet () is a French-built anti-ship missile whose various versions can be launched from surface vessels, submarines, helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft.
Etymology
The missile's name was given by M. Guillot, then the technical director ...
-capable Mirage F1EQ-5, which wouldn't be available until September 1984. The Super Étendard had been strongly advocated for by Dassault, who had feared the potential cancellation of the sizable Mirage F1 order by Iraq if the request was not granted.
From 1983 onwards, Iraqi Mirage F1s were also used for ground attack. In this role, the Mirage F1 was used to replace Iraq's aging fleet of
Hawker Hunter
The Hawker Hunter is a transonic British jet-powered fighter aircraft that was developed by Hawker Aircraft for the Royal Air Force (RAF) during the late 1940s and early 1950s. It was designed to take advantage of the newly developed Rolls-R ...
s.
In September 1985, an agreement was signed between Dassault and Iraq for the delivery of a further 24 aircraft, consisting of 18 Mirage F1EQ-6 fighters and 6 F1BQ trainers.
During the
Iran–Iraq War
The Iran–Iraq War was an armed conflict between Iran and Iraq that lasted from September 1980 to August 1988. It began with the Iraqi invasion of Iran and lasted for almost eight years, until the acceptance of United Nations Security Council ...
, Iraq's Mirage F1EQs were used intensively for interception, ground attack and anti-shipping missions. The Mirage F1EQ allowed for Iraqi strikes to be conducted over a greater combat radius into Iran than had been previously possible.
In November 1981, an Iraqi Mirage F1 accounted for the first
Iran
Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also called Persia, is a country located in Western Asia. It is bordered by Iraq and Turkey to the west, by Azerbaijan and Armenia to the northwest, by the Caspian Sea and Turkmeni ...
ian
F-14 Tomcat
The Grumman F-14 Tomcat is an American carrier-capable supersonic aircraft, supersonic, twinjet, twin-engine, two-seat, twin-tail, variable-sweep wing fighter aircraft. The Tomcat was developed for the United States Navy's Naval Fighter Experi ...
to be shot down, followed by several more in the following months, giving the previously timid
Iraqi Air Force
The Iraqi Air Force (IQAF or IrAF) ( ar, القوات الجوية العراقية, Al Quwwat al Jawwiyah al Iraqiyyah}) is the aerial warfare service branch of the Iraqi Armed Forces. It is responsible for the defense of Iraqi airspace as well ...
new confidence in air-to-air combat engagements with the Iranians. According to research by journalist Tom Cooper, during the war 33 Iraqi Mirage F1s were shot down by Iranian F-14s and two were downed by Iranian
F-4 Phantom II
The McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II is an American tandem two-seat, twin-engine, all-weather, long-range supersonic jet interceptor and fighter-bomber originally developed by McDonnell Aircraft for the United States Navy.Swanborough and Bow ...
units. Iraqi F1EQs claimed at least 35 Iranian aircraft, mostly F-4s and
Northrop F-5E Tiger IIs, but also several F-14 Tomcats.
On 14 September 1983, a pair of
Turkish Air Force
The Turkish Air Force ( tr, ) is the aerial warfare service branch of the Turkish Armed Forces. The Turkish Air Force can trace its origins back to June 1911 when it was founded by the Ottoman Empire, however, the air force as it is known t ...
F-100F Super Sabre
The North American F-100 Super Sabre is an American supersonic jet fighter aircraft that served with the United States Air Force (USAF) from 1954 to 1971 and with the Air National Guard (ANG) until 1979. The first of the Century Series of US ...
fighter jets of 182 Filo “Atmaca” penetrated Iraqi airspace. A Mirage F1EQ of the Iraqi Air Force intercepted the flight and fired a
Super 530F-1 missile at them. One of the Turkish fighter jets (s/n 56-3903) was shot down and crashed in
Zakho
Zakho, also spelled Zaxo ( ku, زاخۆ, Zaxo, syr, ܙܵܟ݂ܘܿ, Zākhō, , ) is a city in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, at the centre of the eponymous Zakho District of the Dohuk Governorate, located a few kilometers from the Iraq–Turkey bo ...
valley near the Turkish-Iraqi border. The plane's pilots reportedly survived the crash and were returned to Turkey. The incident was not made public by either side, although some details surfaced in later years. The incident was revealed in 2012 by Turkish Defence Minister
İsmet Yılmaz
İsmet Yılmaz (born December 10, 1961) is a Turkish politician. Previously he was Minister of National Defense and Minister of National Education. Also briefly served as the Speaker of the Grand National Assembly. Prior to entering politics, h ...
, in response to a parliamentary question by
Republican People's Party
The Republican People's Party ( tr, Cumhuriyet Halk Partisi, , acronymized as CHP ) is a Kemalist and social-democratic political party in Turkey which currently stands as the main opposition party. It is also the oldest political party ...
(CHP) MP Metin Lütfi Baydar in the aftermath of the
downing of a Turkish F-4 Phantom II in Syria, in 2012.
On 17 May 1987, an Iraqi Mirage F1
fired a pair of
Exocet
The Exocet () is a French-built anti-ship missile whose various versions can be launched from surface vessels, submarines, helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft.
Etymology
The missile's name was given by M. Guillot, then the technical director ...
missiles at the
United States Navy
The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage ...
(USN) warship
USS Stark
USS ''Stark'' (FFG-31) was the 23rd ship of the of guided-missile frigates and was named after Admiral Harold Rainsford Stark (1880–1972). Ordered from Todd Pacific Shipyards in Seattle, Washington, on 23 January 1978, ''Stark'' was laid dow ...
as it patrolled the
Persian Gulf
The Persian Gulf ( fa, خلیج فارس, translit=xalij-e fârs, lit=Gulf of Persis, Fars, ), sometimes called the ( ar, اَلْخَلِيْجُ ٱلْعَرَبِيُّ, Al-Khalīj al-ˁArabī), is a Mediterranean sea (oceanography), me ...
, causing extensive damage to the ship, killing 37 and wounding 21 members of Stark's crew. The exact motive and orders of the pilot remain unclear, although Iraq later apologized for the attack, referring to the incident as "a mistake" and blaming Iran.
Prior to the outbreak of the 1991
Gulf War
The Gulf War was a 1990–1991 armed campaign waged by a 35-country military coalition in response to the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait. Spearheaded by the United States, the coalition's efforts against Iraq were carried out in two key phases: ...
, the Mirage F1EQ was the second most numerous type operated by the Iraqi Air Force (the most numerous being the
MiG-21
The Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21 (russian: Микоян и Гуревич МиГ-21; NATO reporting name: Fishbed) is a supersonic jet fighter and interceptor aircraft, designed by the Mikoyan-Gurevich Design Bureau in the Soviet Union. Its nickna ...
). On 17 January 1991, during the opening minutes of the conflict, an unarmed, United States Air Force (USAF)
EF-111, crewed by Captain James A. Denton and Captain
Brent D. Brandon scored a kill against an Iraqi Mirage F1EQ, which they managed to maneuver into the ground, making it the only
F-111
The General Dynamics F-111 Aardvark is a retired supersonic, medium-range, multirole combat aircraft. Production variants of the F-111 had roles that included ground attack (e.g. interdiction), strategic bombing (including nuclear weapons ca ...
to achieve an aerial victory over another aircraft. Later in the war, an Iraqi Mirage piloted by Capt. Nafie Al-Jubouri successfully downed an American EF-111 Raven through aerial maneuvering as it crashed while attempting to avoid a missile fired by Al-Jubouri.
Coalition forces shot down several Iraqi F1s during the Gulf War, such as six F1EQs that were shot down by USAF
F-15 Eagles
The McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle is an American twin-engine, all-weather tactical fighter aircraft designed by McDonnell Douglas (now part of Boeing). Following reviews of proposals, the United States Air Force selected McDonnell Douglas's ...
. A pair of F1EQs, which were preparing to carry out an attack on Saudi oil facilities were shot down by a
Royal Saudi Air Force
The Royal Saudi Air Force ( ar, الْقُوَّاتُ الْجَوِّيَّةُ الْمَلَكِيَّةْ ٱلسُّعُوْدِيَّة, Al-Quwwat Al-Jawiyah Al-Malakiyah as-Su’udiyah) (RSAF) is the aviation branch of the Saudi Arabia ...
(RSAF) F-15C. Of a pre-conflict force of 88 Mirage F1EQs, 23 were destroyed in the war, a further six were damaged, 24 were flown to Iran and interned; only 23 aircraft remained in service by the end of the Gulf War.
Of the 23 destroyed Iraqi Mirage F1EQs, 9 were claimed to have been destroyed in aerial combat.
Morocco
![Moroccan Mirage F1CH 7](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/78/Moroccan_Mirage_F1CH_7.jpg)
In December 1975, Morocco ordered 25 Mirage F1CH interceptors. In March 1977, an additional contract was signed, stipulating the delivery of five additional Mirage F1CHs, as well as 20 Mirage F1EHs (including six aircraft equipped with in-flight refuelling probes). The first deliveries to the
Royal Moroccan Air Force
The Royal Moroccan Air Force ( ar, القوات الجوية الملكية; ber, Adwas ujenna ageldan; french: Forces Royales Air) is the air force of the Moroccan Armed Forces.
History
The Moroccan air force was formed on 14 May 1956 as the ...
(RMAF) took place in 1978.
Moroccan Mirage F1s flew with three squadrons: Assad and Atlas, which were multi-role (interceptor and fighter-bomber) units, and Iguider, a specialised reconnaissance squadron. Comprising over a third of its fighter force, the Mirage F1 served as the primary air defence fighter of the RMAF for the next two decades.
Starting in October 1979, these aircraft were engaged in combat missions against the forces of the
Polisario Front
The Polisario Front, Frente Polisario, Frelisario or simply Polisario, from the Spanish abbreviation of (Popular Front for the Liberation of Saguia el-Hamra and Río de Oro), (in ar, rtl=yes, الجبهة الشعبية لتحرير الس ...
, operating in
Western Sahara
Western Sahara ( '; ; ) is a disputed territory on the northwest coast and in the Maghreb region of North and West Africa. About 20% of the territory is controlled by the self-proclaimed Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR), while the r ...
. During their early combat operations, Moroccan Mirage F1s used unguided bombs, rockets, and their internal cannons to attack Polisario targets. In November 1979, the first Moroccan Mirage F1 was shot down by a Polisario
9K31 Strela-1
The 9K31 ''Strela-1'' (russian: 9К31 «Стрела-1»; en, arrow) is a highly mobile, short-range, low altitude infra-red guided surface-to-air missile system. Originally developed by the Soviet Union under the GRAU designation 9K31, it is ...
, and its pilot was killed. Another one was shot down by an
SA-7 on 6 December, and two more followed in February 1980. With the losses to Polisario air defences mounting, Moroccan pilots started using
toss bombing
Toss bombing (sometimes known as loft bombing, and by the U.S. Air Force as the Low Altitude Bombing System, LABS) is a method of bombing where the attacking aircraft pulls upward when releasing its bomb load, giving the bomb additional time of f ...
tactics to minimize their exposure to air defences, that had meanwhile been reinforced with
2K12 Kub
The 2K12 ''"Kub"'' (russian: 2К12 "Куб"; en, cube) (NATO reporting name: SA-6 "Gainful") mobile surface-to-air missile system is a Soviet low to medium-level air defence system designed to protect ground forces from air attack. "2К12" is ...
/SA-6 medium-range SAM systems. Using this technique, in early January 1982, Moroccan Mirages even started attacking SA-6 sites. However, the strikes had very poor results, due to the inaccuracy of this technique. Moreover, the soft sand of the Sahara desert caused a lot of bombs to fail to detonate.
To solve these issues, several measures were taken. The Moroccans started using bombs equipped with
daisy cutter fuses, and later South African-made Jupiter
airburst fuses. Moroccan Mirages also starting operating in
hunter-killer team
A hunter-killer team, is a team that separates the tasks of "hunting" and "killing" to two or more individuals.
Examples include:
* Two-person sniper teams, one using specialized optical hardware and the other a rifle
* Pairs of F-4G Wild We ...
s, with one aircraft fitted with long-range cameras and/or
ESM equipment guiding one or two low-flying Mirage F1s to attack the targets it detected. These tactics proved highly successful, and they became the principal way in which Moroccan Mirages operated for the remainder of the war. Moreover, the aircraft were modified with
chaff
Chaff (; ) is the dry, scaly protective casing of the seeds of cereal grains or similar fine, dry, scaly plant material (such as scaly parts of flowers or finely chopped straw). Chaff is indigestible by humans, but livestock can eat it. In agri ...
/
flare
A flare, also sometimes called a fusée, fusee, or bengala in some Latin-speaking countries, is a type of pyrotechnic that produces a bright light or intense heat without an explosion. Flares are used for distress signaling, illumination, ...
dispensers. Lastly,
ECM pods were bought to increase the aircraft's survivability against SA-6s, and the first were delivered in 1983. All this, combined with better training of the Moroccan pilots (including during joint exercises with the French and the Americans), resulted in much improved effectiveness of operations against Polisario forces. In total, over the course of the war in Western Sahara, twelve Mirage F1s were shot down by the POLISARIO. Four pilots were killed, and five were taken prisoner.
On 17 August 2015, a Moroccan Mirage F1 crashed due to a
bird strike
A bird strike—sometimes called birdstrike, bird ingestion (for an engine), bird hit, or bird aircraft strike hazard (BASH)—is a collision between an airborne animal (usually a bird or bat) and a moving vehicle, usually an aircraft. The term ...
; its pilot ejected successfully.
South Africa
![Mirage F1CZ Formation](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/00/Mirage_F1CZ_Formation.jpg)
During 1971, South Africa commenced its search for a replacement for the Mirage III; as a result, it chose to purchase a
licence to manufacture both the Mirage F1 and its engine with the intention of producing up to 100 Mirage F1s. However, this license was quickly cancelled as a consequence of the impending
1977 arms embargo. The
SAAF proceeded to procure 16 Mirage F1CZs and 32 Mirage F1AZs, which were quickly delivered by Dassault prior to the embargo being implemented, the first of these deliveries occurring in 1975.
Both the F1CZ and F1AZ variants of the
South African Air Force
"Through hardships to the stars"
, colours =
, colours_label =
, march =
, mascot =
, anniversaries =
, equipment ...
(SAAF) saw considerable action during operations in the
Border War. In November 1978, the first five F1CZs were deployed to
South-West Africa
South West Africa ( af, Suidwes-Afrika; german: Südwestafrika; nl, Zuidwest-Afrika) was a territory under South African administration from 1915 to 1990, after which it became modern-day Namibia. It bordered Angola (Portuguese colony before 1 ...
(Namibia), tasked with providing escort for reconnaissance flights over Southern Angola. From 1980, such deployments as escort aircraft became regular. Due to teething problems with the F1AZ, F1CZs were initially assigned the strike role in southern Angola using Matra M155 rocket pods or 250 kg bombs.
F1CZs of 3 Squadron downed two Angolan
MiG-21
The Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21 (russian: Микоян и Гуревич МиГ-21; NATO reporting name: Fishbed) is a supersonic jet fighter and interceptor aircraft, designed by the Mikoyan-Gurevich Design Bureau in the Soviet Union. Its nickna ...
s in 1981 and 1982. On 6 November 1981, during
Operation Daisy
Operation Daisy was a military operation conducted from November 1–20, 1981 by the South African Defence Force and South West African Territorial Force (SWATF) in Angola during the South African Border War and Angolan Civil War. This conflict ...
, two F1CZs were vectored by
GCI to intercept two MiG-21s heading south. Major Johan Rankin shot down the
wingman
A wingman (or wingmate) is a pilot or UAV who supports another pilot in a potentially dangerous flying environment. ''Wingman'' was originally the plane flying beside and slightly behind the lead plane in an aircraft formation.
According to t ...
with cannon fire, as the missiles failed to
lock on to the MiGs. On 5 October 1982, while escorting a
Canberra
Canberra ( )
is the capital city of Australia. Founded following the federation of the colonies of Australia as the seat of government for the new nation, it is Australia's largest inland city and the eighth-largest city overall. The ci ...
of
12 Squadron on a photo-reconnaissance sortie, Rankin and his wingman engaged two MiG-21s on an intercept course. He fired two Magic
AAMs at one of the MiGs, damaging the aircraft with the second missile. Rankin then attacked the second MiG and destroyed it with cannon fire.
The first MiG was able to return to base, but sustained additional damage making a
belly landing
A belly landing or gear-up landing occurs when an aircraft lands without its landing gear fully extended and uses its underside, or belly, as its primary landing device. Normally the term ''gear-up landing'' refers to incidents in which the pilot ...
.
In May 1982, an Angolan
Mi-8
The Mil Mi-8 (russian: Ми-8, NATO reporting name: Hip) is a medium twin-turbine helicopter, originally designed by the Soviet Union in the 1960s and introduced into the Soviet Air Force in 1968.
It is now produced by Russia.
In addition to ...
helicopter that the SADF believed to be carrying senior officers was located and destroyed in the Cuvelai area. The helicopter was located with rotors running on the ground by a pair of F1CZs and destroyed by 30mm cannon fire.
Two F1AZs of 1 Squadron were lost over Angola. On 20 February 1988, while flying an interdiction sortie in F1AZ '245' against a road convoy during
Operation Hooper
Operation Hooper was a military operation in 1987-88 by the South African Defence Force (SADF) during the South African Border War. This operation forms part of what has come to be called the Battle of Cuito Cuanavale. The Cubans' objective was se ...
, Major Ed Every was shot down by an
SA-13 Gopher
The 9K35 ''Strela-10'' (russian: 9К35 «Стрела-10»; en, arrow) is a Soviet highly mobile, short-range surface-to-air missile system. It is visually aimed, and utilizes optical/ infrared-guidance. The system is primarily intended to engag ...
SAM. F1AZ '223' was lost almost a month later, on 19 March, when Captain Willie van Coppenhagen flew into the ground while returning from a diversionary strike at night. A SAAF Board of Inquiry was unable to determine the causes of the crash.
![Mirage F1CZ](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1a/Mirage_F1CZ.jpg)
Two F1AZs and a F1CZ were also damaged by enemy action, but were able to return to base. On 7 June 1980, while attacking
SWAPO
The South West Africa People's Organisation (, SWAPO; af, Suidwes-Afrikaanse Volks Organisasie, SWAVO; german: Südwestafrikanische Volksorganisation, SWAVO), officially known as the SWAPO Party of Namibia, is a political party and former ind ...
's Tobias Haneko Training Camp during
Operation Sceptic (Smokeshell), Major Frans Pretorius and Captain IC du Plessis were both hit by
SA-3 Goa
The S-125 ''Neva/Pechora'' (russian: С-125 "Нева"/"Печора", NATO reporting name SA-3 ''Goa'') is a Soviet surface-to-air missile system that was designed by Aleksei Isaev to complement the S-25 and S-75. It has a shorter effective ra ...
SAMs. The aircraft piloted by Du Plessis was hit in a fuel line and he had to perform a
deadstick landing
A deadstick landing, also called a dead-stick landing, is a type of forced landing when an aircraft loses all of its propulsive power and is forced to land. The "stick" does not refer to the flight controls, which in most aircraft are either ful ...
at AFB Ondangwa. Pretorius's aircraft sustained heavier damage and had to divert to Ruacana forward airstrip, where he landed with only the main undercarriage extended. Both aircraft were repaired and returned to service.
During the last phase of the Bush war 683 combat sorties were flown by the F1AZs, and more than 100 SAMs were fired at them.
On 27 September 1987, during
Operation Moduler
Operation Moduler (sometimes incorrectly called "Modular") was a military operation by the South African Defence Force (SADF) during the South African Border War. It formed part of what has come to be called the Battle of Cuito Cuanavale. The An ...
, an attempt was mounted to intercept two
Cuban FAR MiG-23MLs. Captain Arthur Piercy's F1CZ was damaged by either an
AA-7 Apex
The Vympel R-23 (NATO reporting name AA-7 ''Apex'') is a medium-range air-to-air missile developed by Vympel in the Soviet Union for fighter aircraft. An updated version with greater range, the R-24, replaced it in service. It is comparable to ...
or
AA-8 Aphid
The Molniya (now Vympel) R-60 (NATO reporting name: AA-8 "Aphid") is a short-range lightweight infrared homing air-to-air missile designed for use by Soviet fighter aircraft. It has been widely exported, and remains in service with the CIS and m ...
AAM fired head-on by Major Alberto Ley Rivas. The explosion destroyed the aircraft's
drag chute
A drogue parachute is a parachute designed for deployment from a rapidly-moving object. It can be used for various purposes, such as to decrease speed, to provide control and stability, or as a pilot parachute to deploy a larger parachute. V ...
and damaged the hydraulics. Piercy was able to recover to
AFB Rundu, but the aircraft overshot the runway. The impact with the rough terrain caused Piercy's
ejection seat
In aircraft, an ejection seat or ejector seat is a system designed to rescue the aircraft pilot, pilot or other aircrew, crew of an aircraft (usually military) in an emergency. In most designs, the seat is propelled out of the aircraft by an ex ...
to fire; he failed to separate from the seat and suffered major spinal injuries.
In February 1987, three F1AZs fired several V-3B missiles at a group of MiG-23s without success. This was repeated again in February 1988 when a F1AZ fired a missile at a MiG-23 and fired its 30mm cannon, again without success. Various other unsuccessful attempts were made during the 1987–88 period.
Apart from operations from Namibia in July 1981, a pilot of the Mozambican Air Force defected with his
MiG-17
The Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-17 (russian: Микоян и Гуревич МиГ-17; NATO reporting name: Fresco) is a high-subsonic fighter aircraft produced in the Soviet Union from 1952 and was operated by air forces internationally. The MiG-17 w ...
. He flew from his base near Maputo towards South Africa. Two F1AZs returning from a training exercise intercepted the MiG-17. In March 1981 two F1AZs intercepted a Zimbabwean Army
CASA C-212
The CASA C-212 Aviocar is a turboprop-powered STOL medium cargo aircraft designed and built by the Spanish aircraft manufacturer Construcciones Aeronáuticas SA (CASA). It is designed for use by both civil and military operators.
The C-212 w ...
and forced it to land in South Africa after asserting that the aircraft had strayed into South African airspace.
The SAAF lost an additional six F1AZs and three F1CZs to various mishaps. F1CZ '205' caught fire after landing and was repaired using the tail section of F1CZ '206' (Piercy's aircraft).
Spain
![Ejercito del Aire Mirage F](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e0/Ejercito_del_Aire_Mirage_F.1M.jpg)
In June 1975, with tension growing with Morocco, Spain decided to strengthen its Air Force and bought 15 Mirage F1C that were allocated to Albacete AB. In mid-1976 there was still some tension with Morocco and Algerian and Libyan MiG-25 flights on the Mediterranean, which would lead the Spanish Air Force to purchase ten more Mirage F1C and two years later order 48 Mirage F1C and F1E.
Some years later Spain also bought 12 F1EDA/DDA's retired from Qatar Air Force, which donated some equipment and weapons used by those Mirage F1s. In Spanish service the F1CE was known as the C.14A, the F1EE was the C.14B and the two-seater F1EDA as the C.14C.
They served mainly as Spain's primary air defence interceptors and interdiction as secondary role until they were superseded by Spain's
EF-18A Hornets. They served with Ala 11 (11th Wing) in
Manises
Manises (, ) is a municipality in the ''comarca'' of Horta Oest in the Valencian Community, Spain. Located in the province of Valencia, it had 30,693 inhabitants in 2018 (NSI) and is famous for its pottery and being the location of Valencia Airp ...
(Ex-Qatari planes), Ala 14 in
Albacete
Albacete (, also , ; ar, ﭐَلبَسِيط, Al-Basīṭ) is a city and municipality in the Spanish autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Castilla–La Mancha, and capital of the province of Albacete.
Lying in the south-ea ...
, and Ala 46 at
Gando in the Canary Islands.
Ala 46 used their Mirage F1s mainly as air defence planes, using same deep blue color pattern as French planes.
In October 1996, Thomson-CSF was awarded a FFr700 million (US$96m) contract to upgrade 48 F1C/E single-seaters and 4 F1EDA trainers to Mirage F1M standard (see below). Ex-Qatar Mirage F1s were left outside the upgrade, as it was a different version, and were the first ones to be retired.
As well as a service-life extension, this improved the avionics and added anti-shipping capability with a modernised Cyrano IVM radar and Exocet compatibility.
From July 2006 to November 2006, Spanish Mirage F1s were deployed to
Lithuania
Lithuania (; lt, Lietuva ), officially the Republic of Lithuania ( lt, Lietuvos Respublika, links=no ), is a country in the Baltic region of Europe. It is one of three Baltic states and lies on the eastern shore of the Baltic Sea. Lithuania ...
as a part of
NATO
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO, ; french: Organisation du traité de l'Atlantique nord, ), also called the North Atlantic Alliance, is an intergovernmental military alliance between 30 member states – 28 European and two No ...
's
Baltic Air Policing
The Baltic air-policing mission is a NATO air defence Quick Reaction Alert (QRA) in order to guard the airspace above the three Baltic countries of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.
Mission
Within the Alliance, preserving airspace integrity is con ...
mission; during this deployment, they were scrambled twice to intercept undisclosed intruders. On 20 January 2009, a pair of Spanish F1s from the 14th Wing crashed near their base during a routine Spanish Air Force dogfight training mission, resulting in the deaths of all three crew members. The wreckage of the two jets, including the remains of the aircrew, was found about apart. By 2009, there were 38 F1M's in service with Escuadrón 141 (141st Squadron) "Patanes" and Escuadrón 142 (142nd Squadron) "Tigres" of Ala 14.
In 2013, the Spanish Air Force retired its fleet of Mirage F1s, having progressively phased the type out of service as increasing numbers of the
Eurofighter Typhoon
The Eurofighter Typhoon is a European multinational twin-engine, canard delta wing, multirole fighter. The Typhoon was designed originally as an air-superiority fighter and is manufactured by a consortium of Airbus, BAE Systems and Leonardo ...
had become available.
[ During 2013, it was reported that Spain may sell sixteen F1M's to Argentina but it seems they now have the budget to buy new Kfirs instead.] The deal went through and Argentina bought the Spanish Mirages in October 2013, but the deal was scrapped in March 2014 after pressure from the United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and North ...
on Spain to not assist in FAA modernization over tensions between the countries over the Falkland Islands
The Falkland Islands (; es, Islas Malvinas, link=no ) is an archipelago in the South Atlantic Ocean on the Patagonian Shelf. The principal islands are about east of South America's southern Patagonian coast and about from Cape Dubouzet ...
.["Argentina; Spanish Mirage F-1 deal scrapped due to UK pressure."](_blank)
''Dmilt.com'', 7 March 2014. In November 2017, Draken International
Draken International, LLC is an American provider of tactical fighter aircraft for contract air services including military and defense industry customers. The firm is based at the Lakeland Linder International Airport in Lakeland, Florida and also ...
announced that it had acquired 22 F1Ms from Spain and would refurbish and upgrade them for use as adversary aircraft.
Libya
Libya procured 16 Mirage F1ED interceptors, 6 F1BD two-seaters, and 16 Mirage F1ADs to equip the Libyan Air Force
The Libyan Air Force ( ar, القوات الجوية الليبية) is the branch of the Libyan Armed Forces responsible for aerial warfare. In 2010, before the Libyan Civil War, the Libyan Air Force personnel strength was estimated at 18,000 ...
. The F1AD model is a specialized strike variant that lacks the standard radar unit; it is instead outfitted with a retractable fuel probe mounted on the nose. Four F1ADs were subsequently upgraded into a multirole configuration.
Throughout the day of 18 August 1981, a total of 70 Libyan aircraft, including Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-23
The Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-23 (russian: Микоян и Гуревич МиГ-23; NATO reporting name: Flogger) is a variable-geometry fighter aircraft, designed by the Mikoyan-Gurevich design bureau in the Soviet Union. It is a third-generati ...
s, MiG-25s, Sukhoi Su-22s, Su-22Ms and Mirage F1s, approached a US Navy carrier battle group as a show of strength. They were escorted until their withdrawal from its vicinity by McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II
The McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II is an American tandem two-seat, twin-engine, all-weather, long-range supersonic jet interceptor and fighter-bomber originally developed by McDonnell Aircraft for the United States Navy.Swanborough and Bow ...
s and Grumman F-14 Tomcat
The Grumman F-14 Tomcat is an American carrier-capable supersonic, twin-engine, two-seat, twin-tail, variable-sweep wing fighter aircraft. The Tomcat was developed for the United States Navy's Naval Fighter Experimental (VFX) program after the ...
s.
Even though they weren't involved continuously, Libyan Mirage F1s participated in the war in Chad intensively and proved their worth during the Libyan campaigns through the 1980s. From 1981, a detachment was deployed at Marten es-Serra in southern Libya. Both the F1AD and F1ED versions were used in this war. Even though the Mirage F1ED was designed foremost as an interceptor, it was mainly used for ground attack purposes like the F1AD, although some combat air patrol
Combat air patrol (CAP) is a type of flying mission for fighter aircraft. A combat air patrol is an aircraft patrol provided over an objective area, over the force protected, over the critical area of a combat zone, or over an air defense area, ...
s were flown as well. When operating in Chad, the Mirage F1AD's typical combat configuration consisted of a pair of 1.300 litre drop tanks and a pair of Belouga CBUs. Operations were performed almost exclusively during daylight hours and from high altitudes, which resulted in limited effectiveness. Together with Mirage 5s, MiG-23s, and Sukhoi Su-22s, Mirage F1s were instrumental in the success enjoyed during different campaigns against the Chadian troops in the early 1980s: operating over the open and barren desert terrain, they caused heavy damage, for no Mirage F1 losses in exchange.
Both Libyan Mirage F1 squadrons were staffed by some of the best pilots and officers in the Air Force, and the Libyans put extra care in the maintenance of these aircraft. Indeed, US Navy
The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage of ...
pilots involved in the 1981 encounters with Libyan fighters
Fighter(s) or The Fighter(s) may refer to:
Combat and warfare
* Combatant, an individual legally entitled to engage in hostilities during an international armed conflict
* Fighter aircraft, a warplane designed to destroy or damage enemy warplan ...
concluded that the Mirage F1 pilots were markedly superior to those flying Soviet-made aircraft.
The Mirage F1 fleet saw action during the 2011 Libyan Civil War
The First Libyan Civil War was an armed conflict in 2011 in the North African country of Libya that was fought between forces loyal to Colonel Muammar Gaddafi and rebel groups that were seeking to oust his government. It erupted with the Liby ...
. The Libyan Air Force posed little threat to coalition forces, partially as a result of insufficient equipment and a heavy reliance upon older aircraft acquired from the Soviet Union
The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, it was nominally a federal union of fifteen national ...
, but remained effective against poorly armed anti-Gaddafi
Muammar Muhammad Abu Minyar al-Gaddafi, . Due to the lack of standardization of transcribing written and regionally pronounced Arabic, Gaddafi's name has been romanized in various ways. A 1986 column by ''The Straight Dope'' lists 32 spellin ...
rebels. On 21 February 2011, a pair of Libyan aircraft landed in Malta
Malta ( , , ), officially the Republic of Malta ( mt, Repubblika ta' Malta ), is an island country in the Mediterranean Sea. It consists of an archipelago, between Italy and Libya, and is often considered a part of Southern Europe. It lies ...
after they had been ordered to bomb protesters in Benghazi
Benghazi () , ; it, Bengasi; tr, Bingazi; ber, Bernîk, script=Latn; also: ''Bengasi'', ''Benghasi'', ''Banghāzī'', ''Binghāzī'', ''Bengazi''; grc, Βερενίκη (''Berenice'') and ''Hesperides''., group=note (''lit. Son of he Ghazi ...
; both of the pilots claimed political asylum. Following the death of Muammar Gaddafi and the end of the civil war, France and Libya formed an agreement in 2012 to modernise the remaining Mirage F1 fleet, as well as covering the potential purchase of additional Mirage F1s that had been formerly operated by the French Air Force.[Batacchi, P]
"Libyan Airforce May Purchase Mirage F1 or 2000-9."
''Armed Forces International'', 2012. Retrieved 15 March 2012.
Variants
Mirage F1A
Single-seat ground-attack fighter aircraft, with limited daylight-only air-to-air capability. Fitted with lightweight EMD AIDA 2 ranging radar instead of Cyrano IV of other variants, with laser rangefinder under nose, retractible refuelling probe and more fuel.
* Mirage F1AD : Mirage F1A for Libya. 16 delivered 1978–1979.
* Mirage F1AZ : F1A for South Africa. 32 delivered 1975–1976.
Mirage F1B
The French Air Force also ordered 20 Mirage F1Bs, a two-seat operational conversion trainer; these were delivered between October 1980 and March 1983. The extra seat and controls added only 30 cm (12 in) to the length of the fuselage, but at the cost of less internal fuel capacity and the loss of the internal cannons.
The empty weight increased by 200 kg (440 lb), partly due to the addition of two Martin-Baker
Martin-Baker Aircraft Company Limited is a British manufacturer of ejection seats and safety-related equipment for aviation. The company's origins were originally as an aircraft manufacturer before becoming a pioneer in the field of ejection s ...
Mk 10 zero-zero ejection seats, in place of the Mk 4 used in the F1C, which had a forward speed limitation.
In all other aspects the F1B is a combat-capable aircraft and it can compensate for lost capacity with cannon pods and drop tanks.
* Mirage F1BD : Export version of the Mirage F1D for Libya. Six delivered 1978–1979.
* Mirage F1BE : Mirage F1B for Spain, local designation CE.14A. Six delivered 1980–1981.
* Mirage F1BJ : Mirage F1B for Jordan. Two built.
* Mirage F1BK : Export version of the Mirage F1B for Kuwait. Two built.
* Mirage F1BK-2 : Multi-role two-seater for Kuwait, equivalent to F1Dl. Four built.
* Mirage F1BQ : Two-seat trainer for Iraq, some of which fitted with dummy flight refuelling probe. 18 ordered of which 15 were delivered between 1980 and 1989.
Mirage F1C
* Mirage F1C : Production interceptor version for the French Air Force
* Mirage F1C-200 : Designation for F1Cs fitted with refuelling probe.
* Mirage F1CE : Export version of the Mirage F1C for Spain, with local designation C.14A. 45 purchased in three batches, delivered between 1975 and 1981.
* Mirage F1CG : Export version of the Mirage F1C for Greece. 40 built, which were delivered between 1975 and 1978.
* Mirage F1CH : Export version of the Mirage F1C for Morocco. 30 built, delivered 1978–1979.
* Mirage F1CJ : Export version of the Mirage F1C for Jordan. 17 built.
* Mirage F1CK : Export version of the Mirage F1C for Kuwait. 18 built and delivered 1976–1977. Later upgraded to CK-2 standard.
* Mirage F1CK-2 : Nine multi-role aircraft, equivalent to the F1E, were sold to Kuwait as part of a follow up order.
* Mirage F1CR : Tactical reconnaissance version for the French Air Force, bought to replace the Mirage IIIR.
* Mirage F1CT : Upgraded F1C-200 for the French Air Force to replace the Mirage IIIE in the close air support role.
* Mirage F1CZ : Export version of the Mirage F1C for South Africa. 16 delivered 1974–1975, with two further aircraft received to replace aircraft lost in a February 1979 collision.
* Mirage F1ED : Export version of the Mirage F1C for Libya
Libya (; ar, ليبيا, Lībiyā), officially the State of Libya ( ar, دولة ليبيا, Dawlat Lībiyā), is a country in the Maghreb region in North Africa. It is bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to Egypt–Libya bo ...
. 16 built.
Mirage F1D
Two-seat training version, based on the Mirage F1E multi-role fighter, ground-attack aircraft.
* Mirage F1DDA : Export version of the Mirage F1D for Qatar
Qatar (, ; ar, قطر, Qaṭar ; local vernacular pronunciation: ), officially the State of Qatar,) is a country in Western Asia. It occupies the Qatar Peninsula on the northeastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula in the Middle East; it sh ...
. Two built.
Mirage F1E
Single-seat all-weather multi-role fighter and ground-attack aircraft.
* Mirage F1JA : Export version of the Mirage F1E for Ecuador
Ecuador ( ; ; Quechua: ''Ikwayur''; Shuar: ''Ecuador'' or ''Ekuatur''), officially the Republic of Ecuador ( es, República del Ecuador, which literally translates as "Republic of the Equator"; Quechua: ''Ikwadur Ripuwlika''; Shuar: ''Eku ...
. 16 built.
* Mirage F1EE : Export version of the Mirage F1E for Spain
, image_flag = Bandera de España.svg
, image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg
, national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond")
, national_anthem = (English: "Royal March")
, i ...
. 22 built.
* Mirage F1EH : Export version of the Mirage F1E for Morocco
Morocco (),, ) officially the Kingdom of Morocco, is the westernmost country in the Maghreb region of North Africa. It overlooks the Mediterranean Sea to the north and the Atlantic Ocean to the west, and has land borders with Algeria to ...
. 14 built, delivered between 1979 and 1982.
* Mirage F1EH-200 : Moroccan aircraft fitted with an in-flight refuelling
Aerial refueling, also referred to as air refueling, in-flight refueling (IFR), air-to-air refueling (AAR), and tanking, is the process of transferring aviation fuel from one aircraft (the tanker) to another (the receiver) while both aircraft ...
probe. Six built.
* Mirage F1EJ : Export version of the Mirage F1E for Jordan
Jordan ( ar, الأردن; tr. ' ), officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan,; tr. ' is a country in Western Asia. It is situated at the crossroads of Asia, Africa, and Europe, within the Levant region, on the East Bank of the Jordan Rive ...
. 17 built.
* Mirage F1EQ : Export version of the Mirage F1E for Iraq
Iraq,; ku, عێراق, translit=Êraq officially the Republic of Iraq, '; ku, کۆماری عێراق, translit=Komarî Êraq is a country in Western Asia. It is bordered by Turkey to Iraq–Turkey border, the north, Iran to Iran–Iraq ...
. 16 built.
* Mirage F1EQ-2 : Single-seat air defence fighter version for Iraq
Iraq,; ku, عێراق, translit=Êraq officially the Republic of Iraq, '; ku, کۆماری عێراق, translit=Komarî Êraq is a country in Western Asia. It is bordered by Turkey to Iraq–Turkey border, the north, Iran to Iran–Iraq ...
. 16 new-build and 16 upgraded F1EQs.
* Mirage F1EQ-4 : Single-seat multi-role fighter, ground-attack, reconnaissance version for Iraq
Iraq,; ku, عێراق, translit=Êraq officially the Republic of Iraq, '; ku, کۆماری عێراق, translit=Komarî Êraq is a country in Western Asia. It is bordered by Turkey to Iraq–Turkey border, the north, Iran to Iran–Iraq ...
. First Iraqi version fitted with a refuelling probe. 28 built.
* Mirage F1EQ-5 : Single-seat multi-role version for Iraq
Iraq,; ku, عێراق, translit=Êraq officially the Republic of Iraq, '; ku, کۆماری عێراق, translit=Komarî Êraq is a country in Western Asia. It is bordered by Turkey to Iraq–Turkey border, the north, Iran to Iran–Iraq ...
. First Iraqi Exocet
The Exocet () is a French-built anti-ship missile whose various versions can be launched from surface vessels, submarines, helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft.
Etymology
The missile's name was given by M. Guillot, then the technical director ...
-capable version thanks to a new Cyrano IVQ/C5 radar. Also capable of using laser-guided munitions. 20 built.
* Mirage F1EQ-6 : Single-seat multi-role version for Iraq
Iraq,; ku, عێراق, translit=Êraq officially the Republic of Iraq, '; ku, کۆماری عێراق, translit=Komarî Êraq is a country in Western Asia. It is bordered by Turkey to Iraq–Turkey border, the north, Iran to Iran–Iraq ...
, with new Sherloc digital RWR, new Cyrano IV-SP1 radar, and capable of carrying two Exocet missiles at once. 30 built.
* Mirage F1EDA : Export version of the Mirage F1E for Qatar
Qatar (, ; ar, قطر, Qaṭar ; local vernacular pronunciation: ), officially the State of Qatar,) is a country in Western Asia. It occupies the Qatar Peninsula on the northeastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula in the Middle East; it sh ...
. 12 built.
Mirage F1CR
When it became clear that the Mirage F1 was becoming a successful production aircraft, Dassault began investigating the possibility of a dedicated reconnaissance version for its most important client, the French Air Force. However, the escalating cost of fighter aircraft meant that add-on pods for this purpose were a more economical alternative.
Many French Air Force aircraft, as well as those of some export clients (such as Iraq
Iraq,; ku, عێراق, translit=Êraq officially the Republic of Iraq, '; ku, کۆماری عێراق, translit=Komarî Êraq is a country in Western Asia. It is bordered by Turkey to Iraq–Turkey border, the north, Iran to Iran–Iraq ...
's Mirage F1EQ), did indeed have a variety of reconnaissance pods available, which were attached to the underside of the main fuselage. However, the development of a tactical reconnaissance aircraft for the French Air Force continued, and the first Mirage F1CR flew on 20 November 1981.
The Mirage F1CR carries reconnaissance equipment, internally and externally:
* A SAT SCM2400 Super Cyclope infrared linescan
Infrared (IR), sometimes called infrared light, is electromagnetic radiation (EMR) with wavelengths longer than those of visible light. It is therefore invisible to the human eye. IR is generally understood to encompass wavelengths from around ...
unit is installed in the space previously occupied by the port cannon.
* A space under the nose can be used for a Thomson-TRT 40 panoramic camera or a Thomson-TRT 33 vertical camera.
* The Cyrano IVM-R radar has extra ground- and contour-mapping modules.
* A variety of sensors can be carried in external pods carried under the fuselage centreline. These include the ''Raphaël TH'' Side-Looking Airborne Radar (SLAR), the ''ASTAC'' ELINT
Signals intelligence (SIGINT) is intelligence-gathering by interception of ''signals'', whether communications between people (communications intelligence—abbreviated to COMINT) or from electronic signals not directly used in communication ( ...
pod and the RP35P optical reconnaissance pod.
A total of 64 Mirage F1CRs were ordered by the French Air Force. The first air force unit equipped with the CR was ''Escadron de Reconnaissance'' 2/33 which became operational in September 1983.
Mirage F1CT
The Mirage F1CT is a ground attack version of the Mirage F1C-200. Following their replacement in the air defence role by the Mirage 2000, the French Air Force had a number of surplus Mirage F1C-200s, and in 1988 it launched a conversion programme to turn these aircraft into interim ground attack aircraft to replace elderly Mirage IIIEs and Mirage 5s. The Mirage F1CT program brought the avionics of the F1C up to the standard of the F1CR, with the radar upgraded with the additional air-to-ground modes of the Cyrano IVM-R, an improved navigation/attack system fitted, with a laser rangefinder fitted under the nose. It was fitted with new Mk 10 ejection seats, while improved radar detection and warning devices, chaff
Chaff (; ) is the dry, scaly protective casing of the seeds of cereal grains or similar fine, dry, scaly plant material (such as scaly parts of flowers or finely chopped straw). Chaff is indigestible by humans, but livestock can eat it. In agri ...
/flare dispensers, and secure radios were also added. It gained the ability to carry a variety of air-to-ground weapons, including rockets, cluster bomb
A cluster munition is a form of air-dropped or ground-launched explosive weapon that releases or ejects smaller submunitions. Commonly, this is a cluster bomb that ejects explosive bomblets that are designed to kill personnel and destroy vehicl ...
s and laser-guided bomb
A laser-guided bomb (LGB) is a guided bomb that uses semi-active laser guidance to strike a designated target with greater accuracy than an unguided bomb. First developed by the United States during the Vietnam War, laser-guided bombs quickly p ...
s, while retaining the F1C's air-to-air armament.
Two prototypes were converted by Dassault, the first flying on 3 May 1991, with a further 55 converted by the workshops of the French Air Force at Clermont Ferrand
Clermont-Ferrand (, ; ; oc, label=Auvergnat, Clarmont-Ferrand or Clharmou ; la, Augustonemetum) is a city and commune of France, in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region, with a population of 146,734 (2018). Its metropolitan area (''aire d'attract ...
by 1995.
Mirage F1AZ and F1CZ
The South African Air Force
"Through hardships to the stars"
, colours =
, colours_label =
, march =
, mascot =
, anniversaries =
, equipment ...
(SAAF) flew both the Mirage F1AZ ground-attack version as well as the radar-equipped Mirage F1CZ fighter. The first two examples of the first order (48 aircraft, comprising 32 F1AZ and 16 F1CZ) were delivered on 5 April 1975. In July of that year, the remainder of the F1CZs were delivered and 3 Squadron was recommissioned to operate the aircraft from AFB Waterkloof
Air Force Base Waterkloof is an airbase of the South African Air Force. It is situated on the outskirts of Pretoria, and is the SAAF's busiest airbase. The base's name, ''Waterkloof'', is Afrikaans. It means ''Water Ravine'' in English. Despite ...
. In 1975 the F1CZs also appeared at a South African airshow, the public were not informed that it was already in service.
The F1AZ was developed in conjunction with Dassault
Dassault Group (; also GIM Dassault or Groupe Industriel Marcel Dassault SAS) is a French group of companies established in 1929 with the creation of Société des Avions Marcel Bloch (now Dassault Aviation) by Marcel Dassault, and led by son Ser ...
and the SAAF as a dedicated ground attack variant. The F1AZs were delivered between November 1975 and October 1976 and were assigned to 1 Squadron. Paramount Group
Paramount Group is a Global Aerospace & Defence group of companies operating in the global defence, internal security and peacekeeping industries. Established in South Africa in 1994, it offers a range of military aircraft, armoured vehicles, ma ...
, a South African-based company owns the intellectual property for the Mirage F1AZ.
The F1AZ has a laser-based rangefinder, permitting the highly accurate fusing and aiming of unguided munitions, such as bombs and rockets. Optical design was by the Optics (later ELOPTRO) division of Armscor in South Africa.
The F1AZ features an integrated ground-attack system, comprising two on-board computers that can identify targets at a distance of 5 km. A laser range finder, situated below its conical nose, is connected to the computers to provide them with target info without emitting radar signals. After target identification and information gathering, bombs are automatically released at the right moment, known as CCRP, or 'Computer Controlled Release Point'. While the range-finding ability of the EMD AIDA 2 radar permits the use of combat and visual interception missiles, the helmet-mounted sight element enables the pilot to make off-boresight engagements, without waiting until achieving an optimum firing position. The F1AZ is equipped with two internal DEFA 30mm cannons with 125 rounds each, and carries a wide variety of external ordnance, including various types of bombs, cluster munitions, missiles, and rocket launchers.
The SAAF retired the F1CZs in 1992, followed by the F1AZs in 1997.
Despite their retirement in 1997, the accuracy of the F1AZ's armament delivery is still considered classified information by the SAAF; analysis by informed news services (e.g., ''Jane's Defence Weekly
''Jane's Defence Weekly'' (abbreviated as ''JDW'') is a weekly magazine reporting on military and corporate affairs, edited by Peter Felstead. It is one of a number of military-related publications named after John F. T. Jane, an Englishman who ...
'') and pilot reports (e.g., Commandant Dick Lord, 'Vlamgat', 1999) conclude that the F1AZ has accuracies within the order disclosed by the USAF
The United States Air Force (USAF) is the air service branch of the United States Armed Forces, and is one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Originally created on 1 August 1907, as a part of the United States Army Sign ...
for their F-15E Strike Eagle
The McDonnell Douglas (now Boeing) F-15E Strike Eagle is an American all-weather multirole strike fighter derived from the McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle. The F-15E was designed in the 1980s for long-range, high-speed interdiction without rely ...
in unguided ballistic mode.
In 2004, up to 21 F1AZs were reported in storage at AFB Hoedspruit
Air Force Base Hoedspruit is an airbase of the South African Air Force. It is located adjacent to the Kruger National Park. In the late 1990s an unused portion of the base was converted into a civilian airport known as Eastgate Airport. It wa ...
, awaiting a possible buyer. In April 2006, it was reported that Aerosud
Aerosud is a group of companies with Aerosud Holdings as the parent company. The group is a South African aeronautical engineering and manufacturing company. Aerosud Aerospace was renamed Paramount Aerospace following its acquisition by Paramoun ...
had purchased the surviving Mirage F1AZs and spares.
South Africa granted Aerosud
Aerosud is a group of companies with Aerosud Holdings as the parent company. The group is a South African aeronautical engineering and manufacturing company. Aerosud Aerospace was renamed Paramount Aerospace following its acquisition by Paramoun ...
a contract to fit the Dassault Mirage F1 with the Klimov RD-33
The Klimov RD-33 is a turbofan jet engine for a lightweight fighter jet that is the primary engine for the Mikoyan MiG-29 and CAC/PAC JF-17 Thunder. It was developed in OKB-117 led by S. P. Izotov (now OAO Klimov) from 1968 with production start ...
engine used in the MiG-29
The Mikoyan MiG-29 (russian: Микоян МиГ-29; NATO reporting name: Fulcrum) is a twin-engine fighter aircraft designed in the Soviet Union. Developed by the Mikoyan design bureau as an air superiority fighter during the 1970s, the Mi ...
fighter. Although overtaken by the decision of the South African Air Force
"Through hardships to the stars"
, colours =
, colours_label =
, march =
, mascot =
, anniversaries =
, equipment ...
to buy the SAAB JAS 39 Gripen
The Saab JAS 39 Gripen (; English: ''griffin'') is a light single-engine multirole fighter aircraft manufactured by the Swedish aerospace and defense company Saab AB. The Gripen has a delta wing and canard configuration with relaxed stabilit ...
, the upgrade was technically successful.
On 17 August 2006, French news agency ''Agence France-Presse
Agence France-Presse (AFP) is a French international news agency headquartered in Paris, France. Founded in 1835 as Havas, it is the world's oldest news agency.
AFP has regional headquarters in Nicosia, Montevideo, Hong Kong and Washington, D.C ...
'' (AFP) reported that two upgraded ex-South African F1AZs had taken part in a fly-past over Libreville earlier that day in celebration of Gabon
Gabon (; ; snq, Ngabu), officially the Gabonese Republic (french: République gabonaise), is a country on the west coast of Central Africa. Located on the equator, it is bordered by Equatorial Guinea to the northwest, Cameroon to the north ...
's independence day. The refurbishment and upgrade of the aircraft was carried out by Aerosud. Aerosud Group managing director Dr. Paul Potgieter confirmed his company's involvement, but declined to give numbers or cite figures.
Mirage F1 M53
Developed for the participation in the "European" NATO fighter competition of early seventies, seeking to replace the F-104G. It was equipped with a more powerful engine, the SNECMA M53, and other improvements. Failed to succeed, the contest was eventually won by the General Dynamics F-16. The Mirage F1 came in second place
Mirage F1M
The F1M upgrade (unrelated to the M-53 prototype) was applied to 48 Spanish F1CE/EE and four F1EDA trainers under a FFr700 million (US$96m) contract awarded to Thomson-CSF in October 1996. The prototype F1M flew in April 1998, and CASA delivered the remainder between March 1999 and 15 March 2001.[ The project included a revised cockpit with colour LCDs and a Smart HUD from Sextant Avionique, a Sextant inertial navigation system with GPS interface; NATO-compatible Have Quick 2 secure communications; Mode 4 digital IFF; a defensive aids suite; and flight recorders.] The radar was upgraded to Cyrano IVM standard, adding sea search and air to ground ranging modes.
Mirage F1 MF2000
The Royal Moroccan Air Force
The Royal Moroccan Air Force ( ar, القوات الجوية الملكية; ber, Adwas ujenna ageldan; french: Forces Royales Air) is the air force of the Moroccan Armed Forces.
History
The Moroccan air force was formed on 14 May 1956 as the ...
started in 2005 the 350 million euro MF2000 upgrade program to modernise 27 F1CH, F1EH and F1EH-200 aircraft. Changes included replacement of the old Cyrano IV radar by a RC400 (RDY-3) radar based on that used by the Mirage 2000-5, a revised cockpit, and improved armament, with Damocles targeting pods, MICA
Micas ( ) are a group of silicate minerals whose outstanding physical characteristic is that individual mica crystals can easily be split into extremely thin elastic plates. This characteristic is described as perfect basal cleavage. Mica is ...
air-to-air missiles and AASM AASM may refer to:
* Armement Air-Sol Modulaire, a French precision guided munition
* Australian Active Service Medal
* American Academy of Sleep Medicine, a professional organization
* The Anglo-American School of Moscow
The Anglo-American Sch ...
guided bombs added. This upgrade was performed by ASTRAC (Association Sagem Thales
Thales of Miletus ( ; grc-gre, Θαλῆς; ) was a Greek mathematician, astronomer, statesman, and pre-Socratic philosopher from Miletus in Ionia, Asia Minor. He was one of the Seven Sages of Greece. Many, most notably Aristotle, regarded him ...
pour la Rénovation d'Avions de Combat).
Operators
The Dassault Mirage F1 has been operated by fourteen air forces, with five of them still doing so. Out of these, three have been European, five Middle Eastern (with one still flying the type), and five African (four still operating it).
Current operators
;
* Congolese Air Force
The Congolese Air Force (french: Force Aérienne Congolaise) is the air branch of the Armed Forces of the Republic of the Congo, in the Republic of the Congo (Congo-Brazzaville).
Former Cold War air force
After achieving independence from Fr ...
two Mirage F1s in service as of December 2021.
;
* Gabonese Air Force
The Gabonese Air Force (french: Armée de l'air Gabonaise) is the official aerial warfare branch of the Armed Forces of Gabon.
History
In the early 1960s, following the country's independence from the French Republic, aerial detachments were in ...
six Mirage F1s in service as of December 2021.
;
* seized 24 F1BQs and F1EQs flown over from Iraq, during the 1991 Persian Gulf War. As of December 2021, 12 Mirage F1EQs and 5 Mirage F1BQs were in service.
;
* Libyan Air Force
The Libyan Air Force ( ar, القوات الجوية الليبية) is the branch of the Libyan Armed Forces responsible for aerial warfare. In 2010, before the Libyan Civil War, the Libyan Air Force personnel strength was estimated at 18,000 ...
received 16 F1AD, 6 F1BD and 16 F1ED aircraft. All were grounded but twelve were contracted for refurbishment, of which only four were returned to service. Of these twelve, two were taken to Malta when their pilots defected. France will renovate Libya's small fleet of Mirage F1s and train its personnel as part of a defence co-operation agreement signed in 2012. Three Mirage F1 were reported lost during the western 2019 offensive.
;
* Royal Moroccan Air Force
The Royal Moroccan Air Force ( ar, القوات الجوية الملكية; ber, Adwas ujenna ageldan; french: Forces Royales Air) is the air force of the Moroccan Armed Forces.
History
The Moroccan air force was formed on 14 May 1956 as the ...
received 30 F1CHs, 14 F1EHs and 6 F1EH-200s. 23 are still operational and 27 have been upgraded to ASTRAC standards.
Non-government/private military operators
;
* Paramount Aerospace Systems acquired four former French Air Force
The French Air and Space Force (AAE) (french: Armée de l'air et de l'espace, ) is the air and space force of the French Armed Forces. It was the first military aviation force in history, formed in 1909 as the , a service arm of the French Army; ...
Mirage F1B.
;
* Draken International
Draken International, LLC is an American provider of tactical fighter aircraft for contract air services including military and defense industry customers. The firm is based at the Lakeland Linder International Airport in Lakeland, Florida and also ...
has acquired 20 former Spanish Air Force Mirage F1Ms and 2 F1B aircraft for use in the Adversary Air role providing support to the United States Air Force. One plane was lost when it crashed on May 24, 2021.
* Textron
Textron Inc. is an American industrial conglomerate based in Providence, Rhode Island. Textron's subsidiaries include Arctic Cat, Bell Textron, Textron Aviation (which itself includes the Beechcraft, and Cessna brands), and Lycoming Engines. ...
subsidiary Airborne Tactical Advantage Company
Airborne Tactical Advantage Company (ATAC), is a government contractor based in Newport News, Virginia, USA. It operates Dassault Mirage F1, Mk-58 Hawker Hunter, Israeli F-21 Kfir, A-4 Skyhawk, and L-39 Albatros II military aircraft in tactical ...
in 2017 acquired 63 former French Air Force
The French Air and Space Force (AAE) (french: Armée de l'air et de l'espace, ) is the air and space force of the French Armed Forces. It was the first military aviation force in history, formed in 1909 as the , a service arm of the French Army; ...
Mirage F1B, F1CT, and F1CR for dissimilar air combat training
Dissimilar air combat training (DACT) was introduced as a formal part of US air combat training after disappointing aerial combat exchange rates in the Vietnam War.
Traditionally, pilots would undertake air combat training against similar aircra ...
and aggressor squadron
An aggressor squadron or adversary squadron (in the US Navy and USMC) is a squadron that is trained to act as an opposing force in military wargames. Aggressor squadrons use enemy tactics, techniques, and procedures to give a realistic simula ...
purposes for the US Air Force
The United States Air Force (USAF) is the air service branch of the United States Armed Forces, and is one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Originally created on 1 August 1907, as a part of the United States Army Signal ...
. The intention is to have between 30 and 45 of them airworthy.
**On 10 February 2022, an F1 crashed in an unpopulated area near Buckeye around west of Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix ( ; nv, Hoozdo; es, Fénix or , yuf-x-wal, Banyà:nyuwá) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of cities and towns in Arizona#List of cities and towns, most populous city of the U.S. state of Arizona, with 1 ...
, after the pilot ejected. The aircraft was operating from Luke Air Force Base
Luke Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base in Maricopa County, Arizona, United States., effective 20 December 2007 It is located west of the central business district of Glendale, and west of Phoenix.
Luke AFB is a major training ...
, supporting the 56th Operations Group.[Fighter jet flown by military contractor crashes in Arizona; pilot OK](_blank)
Bob Christie, The Associated Press
The Associated Press (AP) is an American non-profit news agency headquartered in New York City. Founded in 1846, it operates as a cooperative, unincorporated association. It produces news reports that are distributed to its members, U.S. newspa ...
/Military Times
Sightline Media Group, formerly Gannett Government Media and Army Times Publishing Company, is a United States company that publishes newspapers, magazines, websites, and other publications about the U.S. and other militaries.
The company's '' ...
, 2022-02-11
Former operators
;
* Ecuadorian Air Force
The Ecuadorian Air Force ( es, Fuerza Aérea Ecuatoriana, FAE) is the Air arm of the Military of Ecuador and responsible for the protection of the Ecuadorian airspace.
Mission
To develop the military air wing, in order to execute institutional o ...
operated 16 F1JA & 2 F1JE. During their operational service, at least three of these aircraft were confirmed as lost in accidents. In February 2011, the remaining aircraft in the squadron were retired from service.
;
* French Air and Space Force
The French Air and Space Force (AAE) (french: Armée de l'air et de l'espace, ) is the air and space force of the French Armed Forces. It was the first military aviation force in history, formed in 1909 as the , a service arm of the French Army; ...
received 246 aircraft. The last squadron flying the aircraft was officially disbanded on 13 June 2014.
;
* Hellenic Air Force
, colours =
, colours_label =
, march =
, mascot =
, anniversaries = 8 November
, equipment =
, equipment_label ...
operated 40 F1CG.
;
* Iraqi Air Force
The Iraqi Air Force (IQAF or IrAF) ( ar, القوات الجوية العراقية, Al Quwwat al Jawwiyah al Iraqiyyah}) is the aerial warfare service branch of the Iraqi Armed Forces. It is responsible for the defense of Iraqi airspace as well ...
received 106 F1EQ & 15 F1BQ between 31 January 1981 and 1989, with a further 4 EQs and 4 trainers undelivered due to Iraq's inability to pay and the UN arms embargo imposed following the 1990 invasion of Kuwait. In early 2011, the French government offered to update and refurbish 18 French-held Mirage F1s and sell these to the Iraqi Air Force.
;
* Royal Jordanian Air Force
The Royal Jordanian Air Force (RJAF; ar, سلاح الجو الملكي الأردني, Silāḥ ul-Jawu al-Malakī 'al-Urdunī) is the aerial warfare branch of the Jordanian Armed Forces.
History
Early days
Jordan gained independence in 19 ...
received 17 F1CJ, 17 F1EJ & 2 F1BJ. In 2010 it was reported that Argentina might lease twelve F1CJs and an F1BJ but nothing came of it.
;
* Kuwait Air Force
The Kuwait Air Force ( ar, القوات الجوية الكويتية , al-Quwwat al-Jawwiya al-Kuwaitiya) is the air arm of the Armed Forces of Kuwait. The Air Force headquarters is located at Abdullah Al-Mubarak Air Base, with the remaining f ...
operated 27 F1CK & 6 F1BK.
;
* Libyan Air Force (1951–2011)
The Libyan Air Force ( ar, القوات الجوية الليبية) is the branch of the Libyan Armed Forces responsible for aerial warfare. In 2010, before the Libyan Civil War, the Libyan Air Force personnel strength was estimated at 18,000, ...
. Passed on to the successor government.
;
* Qatar Air Force
The Qatar Emiri Air Force ( ar, القوات الجوية الأميرية القطرية , Al-Quwwat Al-Jawiyah Al-Amiriyah Al-Qatariyah) (QEAF) is the air arm of the armed forces of the state of Qatar. It was established in 1974 as a small aer ...
operated 13 F1EDA & 2 F1DDA. 13 were sold to Spain.
;
* South African Air Force
"Through hardships to the stars"
, colours =
, colours_label =
, march =
, mascot =
, anniversaries =
, equipment ...
operated 32 F1AZ & 16 F1CZ.
;
* Spanish Air Force
, colours =
, colours_label =
, march = Spanish Air and Space Force Anthem
, mascot =
, anniversaries = 10 December
, equipment ...
received originally 45 F1CE, 22 F1EE & 6 F1BE. Also acquired 24 second-hand examples from France and Qatar in the early 1990s. Spanish F1s were deployed in 2006 for the Baltic Air Policing
The Baltic air-policing mission is a NATO air defence Quick Reaction Alert (QRA) in order to guard the airspace above the three Baltic countries of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.
Mission
Within the Alliance, preserving airspace integrity is con ...
mission. Finally, Spain decommissioned its Mirage F1 fleet in February 2013.
Specifications (Mirage F1)
See also
References
Citations
Bibliography
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External links
Dassault Official Webpage
Aircraft of the French Air Force
{{French Air Force Vehicle
Mirage F1
The Dassault Mirage F1 is a French fighter and attack aircraft designed and manufactured by Dassault Aviation. It was developed as a successor to the popular Mirage III family.
During the 1960s, Dassault commenced development of what would ...
1960s French fighter aircraft
Single-engined jet aircraft
High-wing aircraft
Aircraft first flown in 1966