OVERVIEW: The Mirage IIIRS is a single seat, single engine, short-range, all-weather, Mach 2.0, 2nd generation reconnaissance aircraft. 

DETAILS:   The Mirage IIIRS is a version of the Mirage IIIRJ exported to Switzerland.  The  Mirage IIIRS is a delta wing design based on the Mirage IIIE airframe. Because of the delta wing design, the Mirage III suffered from several operational limitations. Because the Mirage wing could not incorporate flaps, it required a long runway for take-off and landing. The delta wing design meant that the Mirage bled energy in a turn, limiting its ACM performance.  It also suffered from buffeting at low altitude, due to the large wing area and resulting low wing loading.  However, the Mirage’s wing allowed it to achieve high speed in a straight line.  To maximize engine efficiency, the Mirage used two variable-section air inlets, each with a moveable half-cone shock cone, (called “mice”) to slow down airflow to the engines at high speed.
   
Developed as a dedicated reconnaissance aircraft, the Mirage IIIRS lacked a radar, replacing it with up to five internally-mounted OMERA cameras encased in a purpose-developed camera nose. The aircraft retained the twin DEFA cannons and all compatibility with its external stores.

The aircraft was powered by a SNECMA Atar 9c turbojet engine.  It produced 13,670 lb. (6200 kg) of thrust (afterburner), giving it a relatively low 0.743 thrust-to-weight ratio under combat conditions.  This effectively limitted its manuverability to only 3-4 g's in sustained manuvering.  Also had provision for one 3308 -lb (1500 kgp) thrust SEPR 844 rocket mounted under the fuselage. 

Armament included two 30 mm (1.181 in) DEFA 552 cannons with 125 rounds per gun.  The Mirage IIIRS also retained the capability of 4,000 kg (8,800 lb) of payload on five external hardpoints, including a variety of bombs, reconnaissance pods or Drop tanks.


Specifications: 

Max Speed: 	1290 knts ; 2350 km/hr;  (Mach 2.2)
Max Range:	1295 nm; 450 nm (combat radius)
Max Payload:	4,000 kg on 5 hardpoints
G-limit		6.7g's max load (subsonic)
Crew:		 1


NOTES: IOC:  1969.   Although the Mirage III retained provision for the SEPR rocket engine, it was rarely, if ever, fitted in practice.  The low cost of the Mirage III family helped to make it widely exported, with variants of the Mirage IIIR being flown by Abu Dhabi, Belgium, Colombia, Egypt, Libya, Pakistan, Switzerland and South Africa.


SOURCE:  
"[1.0] Mirage III, 5, & 50." AirVectors. Accessed April 11, 2023. https://www.airvectors.net/avmir3_1.html. ; 
"Dassault Mirage III/5." Aviation Classics. 2012. ; Gunston, Bill. The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Fighters. 1981. ; "Mirage III: Origins, Characteristics and Performance Data." Dassault Aviation, a Major Player to Aeronautics. Last modified March 17, 2023. https://www.dassault-aviation.com/en/passion/aircraft/military-dassault-aircraft/mirage-iii/. ; Key Aero. "AIRCRAFT PROFILE: DASSAULT MIRAGE III." n.d. https://www.key.aero/article/aircraft-profile-dassault-mirage-iii. ; Dildy, Douglas C., and Pablo Calcaterra. Sea Harrier FRS 1 vs Mirage III/Dagger: South Atlantic 1982. London: Bloomsbury Publishing, 2017, page 35.

Original Author: François Guérin





