| Dassault-Breguet Mirage F-1 |
Dassault Aviation, SNECMA, Thomson-CSF Role Mirage F1 CT - Close Air Support (CAS) / attack / fighter Mirage F1 CR - Tactical reconnaissance / fighter First flight : November 1981 1992 for the new weapons system (F1 CT version) In-service in French Air Force : 1983 Similar Aircraft Super Etendard Mitsubishi F-1 AV-8B Harrier II Fantan A Crew one trainer--two Length 49 ft (14.94 m) 15.33 m Span 27 ft, 7 in (8.4 m) Height : 4.50 m Weight 8.1 t empty 15.2 t maximum at takeoff Power plant / Thrust : SNECMA Atar 9K50 jet engine / 4.7 t and 6.8 t with afterburner Ceiling 52,000 ft Maximum speed : Mach 2.2 Cruise range 1160 nautical In-Flight Refueling- Yes Internal Fuel 3435 kg Fuel capacity : 4,100 l internal / 6,400 l maximal / In-flight refuelling Payload 6300 kg Sensors Cyrano IVM radar (-200 has IWMR), RWR Drop Tanks 1160 L drop tank with 927kg of fuel for 157nm of range 2300 l drop tank with 1837kg of fuel for 310nm of range Armament 2 30mm DEFA 553 cannon 2 Matra Magic R550 free fall and parachute drag bombs Special equipment : Radar Thomson-CSF Cyrano IV-MR (air-to-air, air-to-ground), inertial navigation system, panoramic camera Omera 40, vertical camera Omera 33, IR thermographic captor Super Cyclope, lateral radar Raphael, electromagnetic emissions detector Astac, photographic pod RP35P, Desire digital video recce pod, electronic counter measures |
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| User Country France Greece Iran Iraq Jordan Kuwait Libya Morocco Qatar South Africa Spain Number of units produced : 740 (all types of Mirage F1 included) French Air Force inventory : 40 aircraft in 2 squadrons |
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| Dassault-Breguet Mirage F1 Within a year of the Mirage III entering service with the French air force, Dassault-Breguet was developing a successor. First flying in 1966, the Mirage F1 has 40 per cent more internal fuel than the Mirage III and a better wing design that improves maneuverability and enables it to take off from shorter runways. The French air force ordered the Mirage Fl for its interceptor squadrons, and the first F1s entered service in 1973. The Fl proved a very popular export, with over 500 of them sold abroad in the first 10 years of production. The Mirage Fl has seen combat in the Persian Gulf, where Iraqi Mirage F1s played an important role in the attacks on tankers during the late 1980s. There are several versions now operational - all-weather interceptors, fighter-bombers and dedicated reconnaissance aircraft. |
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| Reconnaissance sensors |
| Raphael TH Airborne electronic imagery radar with radio transmission 600-kg pod for radar imagery (SLAR : Side Looking Airborne Radar) up to 100-km inside enemy lines |
| Astac ASTAC is an ELINT/ESM system designed for detection, identification and localisation of radars of all types. It is suitable for medium and high altitude stand-off reconnaissance missions, or at low altitude on the battlefield and in penetration, where it can collect data for avoidance or destruction of anti-air defenses. The ASTAC tactical signals analyserpod is a light supersonic pod that is easy to install under any combat aircraft. It is currently in operation on French Air Force's Mirage F1CRs and the Japanese Air Force's RF-4E aircraft. |
| Desire Electro-optical reconnaissance demonstrator Pendular pod for digital video reconnaissance (Thomson-CSF), including 610-mm high-definition stabilised optics. The pod is linked with the ground station SARA and with the multisensors interpretation aid system (SAIM) |
| Omera 40 Panoramic camera taking 180° downwards shots |
| A side profile of the Mirage-F-1 is provided above. The Wings are high-mounted, swept-back, and tapered. Missiles are usually mounted at the wing tips. |
| The Dassault Rafale is undoubtedly one of the most talented Reconissance aircrafts in the history of aviation |
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