Dassault-Breguet Mirage IV

In need for transport for their Atomic Bomb, the French Air Force brought out specifications in 1954 for a very fast long distance bomber.

Dassault was leading a consortium that (at first) was monitoring the development of the Sud-Ouest S.O. 4050 Vautour, but their interest was focused in 1956 on the possibilities of re-developing earlier studies of Dassault for a two-engine night fighter.

These studies led to the design of the Mirage IV, in fact an enlarged Mirage III with two engines and possibilities to transport a 60 kiloton AN22 Glider bomb.

The prototype flew for the first time in June 1959 thanks to the propulsion of two SNECMA Atar 9 turbojets (59,53 kN). It proved that it could keep up speeds of Mach 2 at high altitude.

Three pre-production aircraft were build with over the whole slightly lager measurements? and two Atar 9C turbojets (63,50 kN). The first of those three flew in October 1961 and represented the Mirage IV A production model with a round radar dome under de fuselage for the antenna? of the bomb-aiming radar.

The last of the three pre-production models was fitted with Atar 9K engines, the possibility of midair refueling and the latest navigation- and attack-systems.

The Mirage IV A production counted a total of 62 aircraft, twelve of those were later converted? to Mirage IV R strategic reconnaissance-aircraft with the CT52 ‘Mission package’ in the former bomb-bay.

In the middle of the eighties another 18 Mirage IV’s were upgraded to Mirage IV P ‘Missile Carriers’ They got new navigation and attack systems and improved electronic defense systems. The Mirage IV P is designed for penetrating enemy airspace on low altitudes as Launchers of the ASMP missiles with nuclear warheads.