The Dassault Mirage IV was a French supersonic strategic bomber and deep-reconnaissance aircraft. Developed by Dassault Aviation, the aircraft entered service with the French Air Force in October 1964.
For many years it was a vital part of the nuclear triad of the Force de Frappe, France’s nuclear deterrent striking force.
The Mirage IV was retired from the nuclear strike role in 1996, and the type was entirely retired from operational service in 2005.
General characteristics of IVA
- Crew: 2 (pilot & navigator/bombardier)
- Length: 23.49 m (77 ft 1 in)
- Wingspan: 11.85 m (38 ft 11 in)
- Height: 5.4 m (17 ft 9 in)
- Wing area: 78 m2 (840 sq ft)
- Airfoil: root: 3.8%; tip: 3.2%
- Empty weight: 14,500 kg (31,967 lb)
- Gross weight: 31,600 kg (69,666 lb)
- Max takeoff weight: 33,475 kg (73,800 lb)
- Powerplant: 2 × SNECMA Atar 9K-50 afterburning turbojet engines, 49.03 kN (11,020 lbf) thrust each dry, 70.61 kN (15,870 lbf) with afterburner
Performance
- Maximum speed: 2,340 km/h (1,450 mph, 1,260 kn) at 13,125 m (43,061 ft)
- Maximum speed: Mach 2.2
- Combat range: 1,240 km (770 mi, 670 nmi)
- Ferry range: 4,000 km (2,500 mi, 2,200 nmi)
- Service ceiling: 20,000 m (66,000 ft)
- Time to altitude: 11,000 m (36,089 ft) in 4 min 15 sec
Armament
Bombs:
- 1× AN-11 free-fall nuclear bomb or
- 1× AN-22 free-fall nuclear bomb or
- 1× Air-Sol Moyenne Portée nuclear missile (Mirage IVP)
- 16× 454 kg (1,000 lb) free-fall conventional bombs
Thomson-CSF navigation radar
Doppler navigation
CT-52 sensor pod for strategic reconnaissance
