Mirage IV - Royal Australian Air Force

Dassault's Mirage IV was developed as supersonic strategic bomber and deep-reconnaissance aircraft. Introduced ahead of similar airframes, it was a vital part of France's nuclear deterrent force. The type served for many years, finally retired from operational service in 2005.

In the 1960s, there were plans of export sales for the Mirage IV. The Australian government sought a replacement for its Canberra bombers, largely in response to Indonesia's deployment of Tu-16 Badgers. The RAAF procurement of the Mirage IV was seriously considered because it was proven hardware already in service (in contrast to the BAC TSR-2 still in development). However, the Americans upped the ante via the General Dynamics F-111. The Mirage IV ultimately lost the bid, and a similar case would occur with the British RAF.