Ex-RAAF Mirages in
Pakistan Air Force Service

by Mustafa Aziz

I wanted to share these pictures of ex-Australian Mirages now in service with the Pakistan Air Force.

I picked up these pictures from PakDef discussion forum via Mr. Usman Shabbir but were originally taken by Mr. Eddy de Kruff.

The two Mirages (below) belong to No. 7 "Bandits" Tactical Attack Squadron based at PAF Base Masroor in Karachi. This base operates 2 more Mirage squadrons No 8"Haiders" Tactical Attack Squadron and No. 22 "Ghazi" Operational Conversion Unit. No 8 Squadron operates primarily in Maritime strike role and is equipped with Exocet missiles.

In the background of the pictures you also see some F-7P Skybolts which belong to the No 2 "Minhas" Air Superiority Squadron.

Now back to the pictures attached.

Pakistan bought 50 ex-Aussie Mirages. The project "ROSE" (Retrofit of Strike Element") was set up to reclaim as many airplanes as possible and to upgrade them with latest avionics. Originally it was thought that only 20 - 25 airframes could be made operational but eventualy, more than 40 airframes were refurbuished and put back in service.

The avionics upgrade included fitting of HUD, HOTAS controls, RWR's chaff / flare and most important of all the retrofit of FIAR Griffo M Radar. This radar is the Italian copy of APG-68 and has full look down shoot down capability. At present No 7 Squadron is inducting a BVR weapon of South African origin.

Some of the ex-Aussie Mirages did not even require a complete airframe overhaul. The picture above (Mirage Tail # 560) is one of the examples. However, notice that the wings carry a totally different camoflauge. The reason for this is that some of wings on the Aussie Mirages were beyond economical repairs. PAF bought about 14 sets of zero timed wings from South Africa and mated them with the Aussie fuselages.

This picture (above) shows an 8th. Squadron Mirage VPA3. This Mirage has Agave Radar and LW-33 INS and is integrated with Exocets.

The final picture (above) shows a line up ex-Aussie Mirage IIID's of 22 OCU.

The Mirage serial numberof PAF are as follows: e.g 70-411 (70 is the fiscal year ordered)

100 series - Original Mirage IIIEP's 1969

200 series - Mirage IIIRP's (Ordered in 2 batches, 3 in 1968 & 10 in mid seventies.)

300 series - Mirage IIID's & Mirage VD's (3 in 1968, 3 in 1970 & 2 in 1979)

400 series - Mirage V's (28 in 1970 & 32 in 1979)

500 series - Ex Aussie Mirage IIIO's (1990)

700 series - Ex French AF Mirage VEF (ordered in 1996, upgraded by SAGEM with wide angled HUD & FLIR system)

800 series - EX Aussie Mirage IIID's

Text and Images Copyright © 2001 by Mustafa Aziz
Page Created 11 June, 2001
Last updated 12 June, 2001

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