Editing Dassault Mirage III (section)

===Mirage IIIR===
[[File:Mirage III-R MG 1468.jpg|thumb|Nose of a Mirage IIIRS: Thinner than the fighter version, this nose has several glass apertures for medium-format cameras.]]

A number of dedicated reconnaissance variants of the Mirage III were developed and produced, grouped under the general designation of ''Mirage IIIR''.<ref name = "prof 177">Brindley 1971, p. 177.</ref> These aircraft possessed a Mirage IIIE airframe but were furnished with avionics from the Mirage IIIC variant, along with a purpose-developed camera nose, which internally accommodated up to five OMERA cameras. On this variant, the radar system was removed due to a lack of available space in the nose, however, the aircraft retained the twin DEFA cannons and all compatibility with its external stores.<ref name="WAPJ14 p132-3"/> An improved variant, designated as the ''Mirage IIIRD'', was also developed later on; it was essentially a Mirage IIIR outfitted with an extra panoramic camera at the most forward nose position, along with the adoption of the Doppler radar and other avionics from the Mirage IIIE, and provision for carrying an [[Thermographic camera|infrared linescan]] or a [[Side looking airborne radar]] in an under-fuselage pod.<ref name="WAPJ14 p133">Jackson ''World Air Power Journal'' Volume 14, p. 133.</ref>

In response to interest expressed by the AdA in a reconnaissance model of the Mirage design, Dassault proceeded with the development of a pair of prototypes.<ref name = "prof 177"/> On 31 October 1961, the first of these prototypes conducted its maiden flight; on 1 February 1963, it was followed by the first production-standard aircraft of the model. The AdA opted to obtain a total of 50 production Mirage IIIRs; the service later ordered a further 20 Mirage IIIRDs as well.<ref name = "prof 177"/> Several export customers, most notably [[Switzerland]], also chose to procure reconnaissance Mirages. The Mirage IIIR preceded the Mirage IIIE in operational introduction.