Editing Dassault Mirage III (section)

====South Africa====

South Africa was amongst the earliest export customers for the Mirage III, having initially ordered a batch of 15 Mirage IIIC for low-level ground attack operations, for which they were armed with the [[Nord Aviation]] [[AS-20]], along with three Mirage IIIBZ two-seater trainers.<ref name = "prof 189"/> Further aircraft were ordered, including a batch of 16 Mirage IIIEs, three Mirage IIID two-seaters and four Mirage IIIR photo-reconnaissance aircraft. During the early 1970s, South Africa reportedly held negotiations with Dassault with the aim of securing a licence to produce either the Mirage III, the Mirage 5 and the Mirage F1.<ref name = "prof 189">Brindley 1971, p. 189.</ref>

However, much like Israel, South Africa was similarly isolated by a French arms embargo after the passage of [[United Nations Security Council Resolution 418]] in November 1977.<ref name="War">{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zEQ-Km_KShAC&q=Coventry+Four&pg=PA238|title=War and Society: The Militarisation of South Africa|author=Jacklyn Cock, Laurie Nathan|year=1989|publisher=New Africa Books|isbn=978-0-86486-115-3|access-date=6 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121114010110/http://books.google.com/books?id=zEQ-Km_KShAC&pg=PA238&dq=Coventry+Four&sig=f48spXJo8chofA0jdDIacKxXLig#PPA238,M1|archive-date=14 November 2012|url-status=live}}</ref> The [[South African Air Force]] launched an ambitious rebuild programme for its Mirage III fleet, soliciting Israeli technical assistance to convert existing airframes into the [[Atlas Cheetah]]. Fixed foreplanes distinguish the Cheetah from its Mirage predecessor, and an extended nose, probably inspired by the IAI Kfir, houses a modified electronics suite, including radar.<ref name="IMI">{{cite book|last=Polakow-Suransky|first=Sasha|title=The Unspoken Alliance: Israel's Secret Relationship with Apartheid South Africa |pages=1–336}}</ref> Built in single-seat, two-seat interceptor, and two-seat combat trainer versions, the Atlas Cheetah entered service in 1987 during the [[South African Border War]]. Armament consists of [[Denel]] [[V3 Kukri (missile)|Kukri]] or [[A-Darter|Darter]] heat-seeking air-to-air missiles, the targeting of which was aided by a pilot's helmet mounted sight.{{Citation needed|date=January 2018}}