This is a list of Dassault Mirage IIIs, Dassault Mirage 5s, and Mirage 50s used by national air forces. The Central Intelligence Agency once estimated that a little over 800 of the three aircraft types had been exported to various countries around the world.[1]
The key "1S" indicates a single-seat Mirage fighter, while "2S" indicates a two-seat Mirage, and "PR" indicates a photo reconnaissance aircraft.
Out of Service. All of the remaining aircraft (7 5AD, 9 5EAD, 2 5DAD, and 1 5RAD) were sold to Egypt in 2004.
Most built locally, 50 sold to Pakistan in 1990, together with additional engines and spare parts.
All but three of the aircraft were built locally under license. A minor "MIRSIP" upgrade was performed on 20 survivors in the early 1990s, but all were then retired. 25 aircraft, including all of the upgraded ones, were transferred to Chile as Elkans in 1995-1996.
Total number of aircraft delivered:
Survivors upgraded with canards starting in the late 1980s. Last one retired in 2005.
50FC were upgraded by Dassault from French Air Force 5Fs. All of the surviving Mirage 50s were updated by Enaer to Pantera standard from 1988 to 2002.Elkans are modernized ex-Belgian Air Force Mirage 5s.Some ex-South African Cheetahs as spares.Retired on 31 December 2007[3]
Starting in the late 1980s, surviving Colombian Mirages were upgraded to an improved standard, with new avionics similar to those found on the Kfir, as well as canards and an in-flight refueling probe. The upgraded aircraft were designated Mirage 5COAM/CODM.All were retired in 2009.
All aircraft retired.
Retired around 2006-2008, although all flying activity had already been stopped in the mid-1990s.
All of the aircraft are withdrawn from use. 39 Neshers, including 4 two-seaters, were transferred to Argentina between 1978 and the beginning of 1982. 19 IIICJ and 3 IIIBJ followed, between December 1982 and February 1983.
All surviving aircraft (9 IIIEL and 1 IIIBL) were sold to Pakistan in 2000.
Most of the surviving aircraft (32 5D, 29 5DE, 12 5DD and 6 5DR) were sold to Pakistan as part of Project ROSE in 2004-2005.
The Pakistan Air Force is the largest operator of the Dassault Mirage III/5 with a fleet strength of around 156 aircraft. The fleet consists of fighters built for Pakistan (Mirage IIIEP, IIIRP, IIIDP, IIIRP2, 5PA, 5PA2, 5PA3, 5DPA2) in the 1960s, 70s and 80s, as well as used French, Australian, Libyan, Spanish and Lebanese aircraft bought in the 1990s and early 2000s. Some 35 of the Australian-built Mirage IIIO variant were modernized with new avionics under the first stage of the ROSE (Retrofit Of Strike Element) upgrade programme to make air superiority specialized "ROSE I" fighters.
Total number of aircraft delivered:
Note that some of the second-hand aircraft never flew with the PAF, being used only for spare parts or as training aids. Pakistan is capable of locally refurbishing its Mirages at the Mirage Rebuild Factory of the Pakistan Aeronautical Complex.
All Mirage III/Mirage 5 aircraft are to be retired and replaced with the Pakistan/China produced JF-17 by 2025.
10 5P were transferred to Argentina in 1982. All of the 15 surviving aircraft were upgraded to Mirage 5P4/5DP4 standards from 1985 to 1990.Survivors stored by 2002.
All out of service, some having been upgraded to Cheetah standards. There were 16 Cheetah E conversions (all out of service), 16 Cheetah D conversions, and one Cheetah R conversion.Some Cheetah Es were sold to Chile for use as spare parts for Panteras.
Upgrade plan (head-up display, ALE-40 decoy launchers, AIM-9L/AGM-65G capability, two extra hardpoints) cancelled in 1991. Withdrawn from service in October 1992. Some survivors (15 IIIEE and 5 IIIDE) were used as part of the payment for the Mirage F1M upgrade and later sold to Pakistan.
Most built locally, many upgraded with canards, optics etc. Withdrawn from service in 2003 (Mirage IIIRS).One Mirage IIIDS (J-2012, civilian immatriculation HB-RDF) still flies for civilian passengers.
Total number of aircraft delivered:
All of the surviving Mirage III/5s were modernized into Mirage 50s. The last Mirage 50s were retired from service in November 2009. Six of them were donated to Ecuador.
The three undelivered Mirage 5Ms were bought back by Dassault in 1979. Four more followed in 1983. Of these, one became the first Egyptian Mirage 5E2, two were transformed into Mirage 5G2s for Gabon, three were rebuilt into Mirage 50EVs for Venezuela, and one served as a source of spares at Dassault's Biarritz facility. In 1989, the six last surviving aircraft were brought back to France. Of these, two Mirage 5DMs were sold to Brazil in 1996, and four Mirage 5Ms went to Egypt in 2006.