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 the nuclear triad of the Force de Frappe, France's nuclear deterrent striking force. The Mirage IV was retired from the nuclear strike role in 1996, and the type was entirely retired from operational service in 2005.
| Mirage IV | |
|---|---|
| A Mirage IV at the Royal International Air Tattoo in 2000 | |
| Role | Supersonic strategic bomber |
| National origin | France |
| Manufacturer | Dassault Aviation |
| First flight | 17 June 1959 |
| Introduction | 1 October 1964 |
| Retired | 1996 all bomber variants 2005 all reconnaissance variants |
| Primary user | French Air Force |
| Produced | 1963–1968 |
| Number built | 62 + 4 prototypes |
| Developed from | Dassault Mirage III |
During the 1960s, there were plans to export the Mirage IV. In one proposal, Dassault would have entered a partnership with the British Aircraft Corporation to jointly produce a Mirage IV variant for the Royal Air Force and potentially for other export customers, but this project did not come to fruition. The Mirage IV was ultimately not adopted by any other operators.