Mirage IV replacement projects?

[arc3371]

I was hoping that someone here could answer a rather simple question, was there any project to replace the Mirage IV with a new long range strike aircraft?

 

[royabulgaf]

Presumably the Mirage G8 would fill that role.

 

[royabulgaf]

A little more detail. In parallel with the Mirage F1, the somewhat larger F2 was built. Imagine a scaleorama 1/48 F1 made into a 1/72 two seater. This begat the Mirage G, essentially a swing wing F2. That proceeded to the G8, a somewhat more sophisticated twin engine version of the G. Next up, in parallel to the Mirage 2000, Dassault built the Mirage 4000 as a private venture. This aircraft was comparable to the F-15. It seemed to be intended mostly for export, however if it went into production, it could have filled the Mirage IV role. Spend some time on the net with these aircraft, and you will get a better idea.

 

[Antonio]

This is your book:

http://www.aeropresse.com/les_plus_aeronautiques/livres/Mirage-F1/Mirage-F1.php

In fact, just volume 1 which is almost a 196 page designs and development compilation of "arrow wing Mirage" comprised between the Mirage III relatives and Mirage 2000 relatives.

The Armée de l'Air Mirage IVA mission was strategic reccon and nuclear weapon delivery. From a quick search, the first Mirage IVA follow on would have been into the F2, F4 and IVF series by 1964-65. There are designs ranging from 18 to 30 m in lenght.

In 1968, "le bureaux des matériels" published a specification for program RAGEL (long range reccon, attack and electronic warfare aircraft) and Dassault submitted a design from the G4 family which had evolved from that 1964 studies I refered before. In fact, the 23,5 m long Mirage F4G has been proposed as a IVA follow on in September 1964.

Then the G4 evolved into the G8 and later (1972) into the fixed arrow wing G8A Super Mirage (Avion de Combat Futur) which suffered cancelation in December 1975. It was considered too expensive to be easy exportable.

http://www.secretprojects.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,2418.0.html

The ACF was a multirole aircraft tasked with both interception and attack. So it was not only a Mirage IVA replacement, but also for the Mirage III and F1 tactical aircraft. At 19 m lenght and 29000 Kg MTOW, it wasn't really far from the McDD F-15 Eagle dimensions.


At the end, it was the Mirage 2000N armed with the ASMP missile which replaced the Mirage IVA. ASMP development started in 1978 and Mirage 2000N followed in 1979.

 

[Antonio]

Going into the realms of speculation, I agree that a "Mirage 4000N" is a possibility.
Also, in 2008 we knew about fantastic Mach 3 - Mach 4 studies from Dassault. Who knows if somebody considered at "chez" Dassault with a Mach 3 attack derivative as a Mirage IVA replacement...

See the amazing Mirage here:

http://www.secretprojects.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,3899.0.html

 

[Spark]

Hi

Anglo-French Variable Geometry agreement; fits the bill but only in reality considered as a aircraft technology transfer project and intergration policy?

I was hoping that someone here could answer a rather simple question, was there any project to replace the Mirage IV with a new long range strike aircraft?

 

[arc3371]

Thank you all for the answers, as i don´t speak French I am afraid that the suggested book would be a waste of money for me

 

[Antonio]

Anglo-French Variable Geometry agreement

Ups, forgot about that...I'll try to fit it on my tale later.

 

[Antonio]

Anglo-French Variable Geometry Aircraft (AFVG) studies started in 1965 after the cancellation of the TSR2. And ended in 1967 when France withdrew from the project and went with the Mirage G8 instead.

So the AFVG could be considered in the list of candidates for the Mirage IVA follow-on.

 

[overscan (PaulMM)]

Thank you all for the answers, as i don´t speak French I am afraid that the suggested book would be a waste of money for me

Its not a waste of money if you can't read it, you can still marvel at the amazing drawings. I own a copy, its awesome.

 

[Archibald]

it was the Mirage 2000N armed with the ASMP missile which replaced the Mirage IVA

Actually there was an uprated Mirage IVA with the ASMP, the Mirage IVP. From 1978 nineteen Mirage IVA were rebuild to the IVP standard, serving from 1987 to 1996 in the nuclear deterrent role, and nine more years for reconnaissance.

All of these were rather futile as it had already been decided in 1963 that the final AdlA operated deterrent would be a ballistic missile

Spot on. That the air component of the nuclear deterrent "survived" (until today) was / is justified through its relative flexibility when compared to ballistic missiles. But it was cut drastically over the years, from nine squadrons of Mirage IVA in 1974 to a handful of AMSP-A today...

 

[Antonio]

"Tornado" by Francis K. Mason. PSL, 1986.
Page 32
"The French withdrew from the project on the pretext of high cost"

Actually there was an uprated Mirage IVA with the ASMP, the Mirage IVP. From 1978 nineteen Mirage IVA were rebuild to the IVP standard, serving from 1987 to 1996 in the nuclear deterrent role, and nine more years for reconnaissance.

You're right monsieur, I forgot about the IVP :-[ . Merci.

 

[Pioneer]

I for one would have viewed the Mirage G8 as a great replacement for the Mirage IV, let alone its later export potential as a ready and willing export counter-part to the Tornado IDS (in terms of apability). I may have said it before, but I can visualise the likes of Saudi Arabia, maybe Libya etc...... It's a pity the French had cold feet! But then again they canned the Mirage F2 for the smaller and cheaper Mirage F1 for more export potential over that of the actual French Air Force needs, so I am lead to believe.

Regards
Pioneer