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Hello everyone, and welcome to this new suggestion.
Today, I’m talking about the reconnaissance version of one of the aircraft we already have in the game, the Mirage III RD.
The Mirage III RD (Reconnaissance – Doppler) is a sub-version of the Mirage III R, developed by Dassault Aviation in the 1960s to meet more precise needs for autonomous navigation and low-altitude reconnaissance. The Mirage III RD takes the basis of the Mirage III R, notably the airframe and the delta wing configuration, but is distinguished by the addition of a Doppler navigation radar located under the fuselage. This improvement aims to strengthen the aircraft’s ability to carry out tactical reconnaissance missions at very low altitude, where precise navigation is essential. Produced in a series of 20 units for the French Air Force, the Mirage III RD entered service in the second half of the 1960s, at a time when reconnaissance missions became more complex and required adaptation to increasing ground-to-air threats.
The Mirage III RD was used by the French Air Force primarily in the 1970s and 1980s, complementing the Mirage III R. Assigned to tactical reconnaissance squadrons, it was particularly suited to low-altitude flights to photograph sensitive targets while avoiding enemy radar. Its Doppler radar allowed precise navigation without the need for external aids, an essential asset for missions in hostile or unfamiliar terrain. It was equipped with fixed cameras in the nose, like the other Mirage III Rs, but optimized for more discreet flight profiles. The Mirage III RD served until the early 1990s, before being gradually replaced by more modern and better-equipped aircraft, such as the Mirage F1CR. Although produced in small numbers, it helped strengthen the Air Force’s tactical reconnaissance capabilities during the Cold War, adapting the Mirage III to the evolving needs of airborne intelligence.
Characteristics
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Length : 15.03 m
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Width : 8.22 m
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Height : 4.25 m
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Mass :
- Min : ~6,700 kg
- Max : ~13,700kg
The Mirage III RD is powered by the ATAR 9C (engine that will be put into service on the Mirage III E). This allows it to reach more than Mach 2 and reach an altitude of 16,500 meters.
Equipment
To build the Mirage III RD, Dassault engineers had to reintegrate a navigation radar into the existing Mirage III R while keeping the cameras, which therefore gives it this equipment
- 5 OMERA of 100mm, 200mm and 600mm focal length
- OMERA 60 in its aft keel
- navigation Doppler radar (radar present in the Mirage III E)
The aircraft has no RWR or countermeasures to defend itself
Weapons
This aircraft, being intended purely for reconnaissance, was not intended to carry weapons. However, being derived from the Mirage III C and E, it retains the two ventral 30mm DEFA cannons, allowing it to defend itself in dogfights.
Additionally, the Mirage III RD can carry the SLAR (Side Looking Airborne Radar), allowing it to map the areas the aircraft flies over. This pod is mounted under the central hardpoint. A “Cyclops” infrared sensor can also be installed in the nose of the central canister for all-weather target detection.
Sources
- Mirage III : origines, caractéristiques et performances
- Dassault Mirage IIIR — avionslegendaires.net
- 33ème escadre de reconnaissance
- Dassault Mirage III RD
- Système CYCLOPE ; système de reconnaissance aérienne opérant dans l’infra-rouge moyen (1966-1970). | Service historique de la Défense
- Spot’aero
- IIIRRD