Dassault Mirage IV

History

The Dassault Mirage IV series was developed in response to French requirements for a hypersonic aircraft platform capable of carrying nuclear weapons. The resulting Phantom IV is just that, offering Mach 2 capability and a ceiling of over 65,000 feet.

With the atomic bomb as a deterrent to Cold War invasion, the French military will now have an aircraft capable of transporting such a deadly payload.

The design of Mirage IV was derived from the development of Mirage III, detailed elsewhere on this page. The Mirage IV is larger than its predecessor and features two powerplants instead of the traditional Dassault single-engine arrangement. The aircraft needed to be capable of sustained high-speed flight and have long-range capabilities. The first prototype IV was flown in 1959, based on an abandoned twin-engine night fighter. Then in 1961, several pre-production aircraft became a larger overall design, equipped with the Atar 9C 14,110-pound turbojet.

These pre-production models will be the main Mirage IV production models used.

The Mirage IV features a simple delta wing design with only one rudder at the stern. The two crew members sat side by side on the long, narrow fuselage. The wings are low-mounted monoplanes that are recessed under the fuselage when carrying nuclear weapons.

Power is supplied by two SNECMA brand motors with suitable reheat capability. In any case, thanks to its overall design, size and performance, the elegant looking Mirage IV delivers results quickly.

Mirage IV is ordered as an IVA model series. The system provides a center fuselage for a single An22 60 kiloton free-fall nuclear bomb, of which 62 examples were built.

From this batch, 12 aircraft were shelved and reconfigured with additional specialized equipment as strategic IVR reconnaissance models. In addition, 19 IVA variants have been converted into a "missile carrier" variant, allowing the handling and firing of nuclear-tipped ASMP stand-off missile weapons in low-level reverse osmosis.

By the end of the Cold War, the need for such nuclear-capable systems was diminishing. As a result, the Mirage IVA gradually retired from its nuclear strategic role, while only the Mirage IVR reconnaissance series continued to serve the French Armed Forces.

Nonetheless, the Phantom IV played a very important role for the French people, providing a nuclear deterrent in the late Cold War, keeping the Soviet bloc at bay for decades.

Specification

Basic

Production

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Performance

Performance

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Changes