Editing Dassault Mirage III (section)

====Border War====
During the [[South African Border War]], the South African Air Force operated a force of 16 Mirage IIICZ interceptors, 17 Mirage IIIEZ multirole fighter-bombers, and 4 Mirage IIIRZ reconnaissance fighters, which were typically flown from bases in [[South-West Africa]].<ref name="Vlamgat">{{cite book|last=Lord|first=Dick|title=Vlamgat: The Story of the Mirage F1 in the South African Air Force|year=2008|publisher=30° South Publishers|location=Johannesburg, South Africa|isbn=978-1-920143-36-7}}</ref> Despite being recognised as an exceptional dogfighter, the Mirage III was often criticised for lacking the range to make it effective over long distances, such as during strike operations against [[People's Liberation Army of Namibia]] (PLAN) insurgents based in neighbouring [[Angola]].<ref name="Lord">{{cite book | title=From Fledgling to Eagle. The South African Air Force during the Border War. | publisher=Helion and Company Ltd | author=Lord, Dick | year=2012 | location=Solihull, West Midlands, UK | isbn=9781908916624}}</ref> South African pilots also found the high-nosed, delta-winged Mirage III relatively difficult to land on the rudimentary airstrips near the operational area.<ref name="Vlamgat"/>

Over time, the Mirage IIIs were eventually assigned to [[2 Squadron SAAF|2 Squadron, SAAF]], and restricted to the secondary roles of daytime interception, training exercises, and photographic reconnaissance missions following the adoption of the newer [[Mirage F1]]. The mediocre performance of the fighter's Cyrano II radar effectively precluded the type from conducting nighttime operations, as well as during challenging weather conditions.<ref name="Vlamgat"/> By the late 1980s, the Mirage IIICZ was considered so obsolete that it was utilised only for base security.<ref name="Scholtz">{{cite book|last=Scholtz|first=Leopold|title=The SADF in the Border War 1966–1989|year=2013|publisher=Tafelberg|location=Cape Town|isbn=978-0-624-05410-8}}</ref> Nevertheless, the Mirage IIIRZ continued to be deployed for photo reconnaissance missions over Angolan targets, as the SAAF had only one other aircraft equipped for this role, the even more antiquated [[English Electric Canberra]].<ref name="Lord"/>

During reconnaissance missions, SAAF Mirage IIIRZs would often fly at extremely low altitudes, sometimes as low as {{convert|50|ft|m|abbr=off|spell=in}}; briefly prior to reaching their intended targets, the aircraft would enter a rapid climb from which photographs would be taken before turning away.<ref name="Scholtz"/> During the [[Battle of Cuito Cuanavale]], Mirage IIIRZ pilots carried out mock sorties over enemy positions in [[Xangongo]] and [[Humbe]] in an attempt to provoke a response from Cuban or Angolan MiG-21s and [[Mikoyan MiG-23|MiG-23s]], which would then be engaged by accompanying SAAF Mirage F1AZs.<ref name="Scholtz"/>