Editing Dassault Mirage III (section)

===Exports===
The largest export customers for Mirage IIICs built in France were [[Israel]], their principal variant being the ''Mirage IIICJ'', and [[South Africa]], the bulk of their fleet being the ''Mirage IIICZ''. Some export customers obtained the Mirage IIIB, with designations only changed to provide a country code, such as:  ''Mirage IIIDA'' for [[Argentina]], ''Mirage IIIDBR'' for [[Brazil]], ''Mirage IIIBJ'' for [[Israel]], ''Mirage IIIBL'' for [[Lebanon]], ''Mirage IIIDP'' for [[Pakistan]], ''Mirage IIIBZ'' and ''Mirage IIIDZ'' and ''Mirage IIID2Z'' for [[South Africa]], ''Mirage IIIDE'' for [[Spain]] and ''Mirage IIIDV'' for [[Venezuela]].<ref>Brindley 1971, pp. 179–190.</ref>

After Israeli success with the Mirage IIIC, scoring kills against [[Syria]]n [[Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-17]]s and [[Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21|MiG-21]] aircraft and then achieving a formidable victory against [[Egypt]], [[Jordan]], and [[Syria]] in the [[Six-Day War]] of June 1967, the Mirage III's earned a combat-proven service history.  This and low cost made it a popular export success.{{Citation needed|date=January 2013}} According to Brindley, a key element of the Mirage III's export success was the extensive support given to Dassault by the French government; he has claimed that the state would often commence negotiations without involving or informing Dassault at all until a later stage.<ref>Brindley 1971, pp. 179–180.</ref>

A good number of Mirage IIIEs were built for export as well, being purchased in small numbers by [[Argentina]] as the ''Mirage IIIEA'', [[Brazil]] as the ''Mirage IIIEBR'', [[Lebanon]] as the ''Mirage IIIEL'', [[Pakistan]] as the ''Mirage IIIEP'', [[South Africa]] as the ''Mirage IIIEZ'', [[Spain]] as the ''Mirage IIIEE'', and [[Venezuela]] as the ''Mirage IIIEV'', with a list of subvariant designations, with minor variations in equipment fit. Dassault believed the customer was always right, and was happy to accommodate changes in equipment fit as customer needs and budget required.{{Citation needed|date=January 2013}}

Some customers obtained the two-seat Mirage IIIBE under the general designation ''Mirage IIID'', though the trainers were generally similar to the Mirage IIIBE except for minor changes in equipment fit. In some cases they were identical, since two surplus AdA Mirage IIIBEs were sold to Brazil under the designation ''Mirage IIIBBR'', and three were similarly sold to Egypt under the designation ''Mirage 5SDD''. New-build exports of this type included aircraft sold to [[Abu Dhabi]], Argentina, Brazil, [[Chile]], [[Colombia]], [[Egypt]], [[Gabon]], [[Libya]], [[Pakistan]], [[Peru]], Spain, Venezuela, and [[Zaire]].<ref name="WAPJ14 p126"/>

During the 1960s, the [[Soviet Union]] was alleged to have been engaged in attempts at conducting [[industrial espionage]] that targeted Dassault and specifically the Mirage III. In one widely reported incident, a pilot of the [[Lebanese Air Force]] was approached by Soviet agents, who offered him a [[bribe]] to fly one of the nation's 14 Mirage IIIs directly to Soviet territory; Lebanese counter-intelligence was notified of the attempt by the pilot.<ref>Brindley 1971, pp. 186–187.</ref> Diplomatically, France was protective of the fighter, often forbidding nations from re-exporting their Mirage IIIs to third parties without their consent under the threat of a prospective embargo.<ref name = "prof 187">Brindley 1971, p. 187.</ref>

Export versions of the Mirage IIIR were built for [[Pakistan]] as the ''Mirage IIIRP'' and ''Mirage IIIRP2'',<ref>{{harvnb|Chenel|Liébert|Moreau|2014|pages=147–149}}</ref> and South Africa as the ''Mirage IIIRZ'' and ''Mirage IIIR2Z'' with an Atar 9K-50 jet engine.<ref>Brindley 1971, pp. 187, 189.</ref> Export versions of the IIIR recce aircraft were purchased by Abu Dhabi, Belgium, Colombia, Egypt, Libya, [[Pakistan]], and South Africa. Some export Mirage IIIRDs were fitted with British [[Vinten]] cameras, not OMERA cameras. Most of the Belgian aircraft were built locally.<ref name="WAPJ14 p133"/>

====Israel====
[[File:Hatzerim Mirage 20100129 1.jpg|thumb|Mirage IIICJ at the [[Israeli Air Force Museum]] (13 victory markings)]]

The [[Israeli Air Force]] (IAF) purchased three variants of the Mirage III:<ref name=AR>{{cite web|url=http://www.acig.org/artman/publish/article_274.shtml |title=Dassault Mirage III & Mirage 5/Nesher in Israeli Service |publisher=ACIG |year=2003 |access-date=9 July 2013 |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140726102431/http://www.acig.org/artman/publish/article_274.shtml |archive-date=26 July 2014 }}</ref><ref name="prof 183">Brindley 1971, p. 183.</ref>
* 70 Mirage IIICJ single-seat fighters, received between April 1962 and July 1964.
* Two Mirage IIIRJ single-seat photo-reconnaissance aircraft, received in March 1964.
* Four Mirage IIIBJ two-seat combat trainers, three received in 1966 and one in 1968.

Initial Israeli operations were conducted in a close cooperative relationship with both Dassault and France itself, the former sharing large amounts of operational data and experience with the other parties.<ref name="prof 183" /> However, Israel was forced into updating its own Mirages when France imposed an [[arms embargo]] on the region after the 1967 [[Six-Day War]]. For many years, official military relations did not exist between France and Israel, however, spare components remained available.<ref name="prof 183" /> The result of these troubles was the development of [[Israel Aircraft Industries]]' [[IAI Nesher|Nesher]] fighter, which was based on the Mirage 5. Nevertheless, Mirage IIIB upgrades up to and including a full [[IAI Kfir|Kfir]]-type conversion have also been made available to third parties by IAI.<ref name=AR /><ref>Brindley 1971, pp. 183, 186.</ref>

====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}}

====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>