Editing Dassault Mirage III (section)

====Pakistan====
[[File:PAF Dassault Mirage reconnaissance variant with F-16C Block 52+.jpg|thumb|A Pakistani Mirage-IIIE reconnaissance variant with a Pakistani F-16C in the background in 2011]]
In 1967, Pakistan opted to purchase an initial batch of 18 Mirage IIIEPs, 3 Mirage IIIDPs and 3 Mirage IIIRPs from France.<ref name="armstrade.sipri.org">{{cite web |url=http://armstrade.sipri.org/armstrade/page/trade_register.php |title=Trade Registers |access-date=6 January 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100414022558/http://armstrade.sipri.org/armstrade/page/trade_register.php |archive-date=14 April 2010 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://airforcesmonthly.keypublishing.com/2017/05/22/half-a-century-of-service-for-pakistans-mirage/ |title=Half a century of service for Pakistan's Mirage &#124; Air Forces Monthly |access-date=20 November 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190418140814/https://airforcesmonthly.keypublishing.com/2017/05/22/half-a-century-of-service-for-pakistans-mirage/ |archive-date=18 April 2019 |url-status=live }}</ref> Over the course of time, the [[Pakistan Air Force]] (PAF) inducted large numbers of new and secondhand Mirages IIIs and [[Mirage 5]]s spanning multiple variants. In 1977 and 1978, an additional 10 new Mirage IIIRP2s were delivered.<ref name="auto1">{{harvnb|Chenel|Liébert|Moreau|2014|page=149}}</ref>

Perhaps the most notable PAF unit equipped with the type has been [[No. 5 Squadron (Pakistan Air Force)|No. 5 Squadron]], which was fully operational by the [[Indo-Pakistani War of 1971]]. During the conflict, while flying out from bases in [[Sargodha]] and [[Mianwali]], the Mirage III was used to conduct ground attacks against Indian military units and targets of interest. The PAF denied that any Mirage was lost. It was also confirmed by France that no fighter jet was missing from the total of 23 (a single aircraft had already been lost before the war).<ref>{{harvnb|Chenel|Liébert|Moreau|2014|page=155}}</ref>

In 1991, because French production of the Mirage III and most spare parts had ceased, Pakistan acquired 50 Australian-built Mirages, which had been retired by the [[Royal Australian Air Force]] in 1988: 42 examples of the Mirage IIIO and eight twin-seat IIID.<ref name="adf-serials.com.au">{{cite web |url=http://www.adf-serials.com.au/3a3-Pakistan.htm |title=ADF-Serials 2018 ''ex-RAAF Mirages in Pakistan Air Force Service'' (16 November 2018). |access-date=16 November 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181116173929/http://www.adf-serials.com.au/3a3-Pakistan.htm |archive-date=16 November 2018 |url-status=live }}</ref> A further five incomplete aircraft were also obtained from the RAAF for [[Cannibalization (parts)|cannibalized spare parts]].<ref name=trade>{{cite web |url=http://armstrade.sipri.org/armstrade/page/trade_register.php |title=Trade Registers |publisher=Armstrade.sipri.org |access-date=3 December 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100414022558/http://armstrade.sipri.org/armstrade/page/trade_register.php |archive-date=14 April 2010 |url-status=live }}</ref> Eight of the ex-RAAF Mirages entered service with the PAF immediately, while another 33 were upgraded under a PAF project known as [[Project ROSE#Mirage IIIO ROSE I|ROSE I]] ("Retrofit of Strike Element"), with new equipment including: [[head-up display]] (HUD), [[HOTAS]] controls, [[multi-function display]] (MFD), [[radar altimeter]], [[nav/attack system]] (manufactured by [[SAGEM]]), [[inertial navigation]] and [[GPS]] systems, [[radar warning receiver]] (RWR), an [[electronic countermeasures]] (ECM) suite, [[Flare (countermeasure)|decoy flares]] and [[Chaff (radar countermeasure)|chaff]] dispenser. In 1999, multi-mode [[FIAR|FIAR Grifo M3]] radar was installed in the PAF Mirages.<ref name="flightglobal.com 24/02/99">Paul Lewis, "Building a base: Pakistan builds on the capabilities of local support for combat aircraft", ''[[Flight International]]'', published: 24 February 1999, URL: http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/1999/02/24/48539/building-a-base.html Retrieved: 25 September 2009</ref>

Ten [[Lebanese Air Force]] aircraft were purchased in 2000<ref name="armstrade.sipri.org"/><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.lebarmy.gov.lb/English/AirforceMain.asp |title=Lebanese Army Website |access-date=26 December 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071231061444/http://www.lebarmy.gov.lb/English/AirforceMain.asp |archive-date=31 December 2007 |url-status=dead }}</ref> and in 2003 15 Mirage IIIEEs and 5 Mirage IIIDEs were obtained from the [[Spanish Air Force]] for [[cannibalization (parts)|cannibalized spare parts]].<ref>{{harvnb|Chenel|Liébert|Moreau|2014|page=154}}</ref>

From 2011, the PAF Mirage fleet was modified to carry [[Hatf-VIII (Ra'ad)]] cruise missiles and to accommodate [[aerial refueling]] probes of South African origin (presumably similar to those installed on the [[Atlas Cheetah]]). Subsequently, these aircraft have been modified to accept additional equipment and munitions, such as Chinese [[PL-12]] air-to-air missiles.<ref name=trade/>

In 2019, the PAF was reported to be in negotiation with [[Egypt]] for purchase of 30 Mirages.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.defenseworld.net/news/24626/Pakistan_To_Get_Egyptian_Mirage_5_Jets__Report|title = Pakistan to Get Egyptian Mirage 5 Jets: Report}}</ref>