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Dassault Mirage IV

Dassault · Bomber · France · Early Jet (1946–1969)

Dassault Mirage IV — Bomber
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The Dassault Mirage IV is a French twin-engine, two-seat supersonic nuclear bomber built by Dassault Aviation between 1959 and 1968. It entered service with the Armée de l'Air's Forces Aériennes Stratégiques in 1964 and gave France its principal airborne nuclear-strike platform for more than four decades. Alongside ground-launched ballistic missiles and submarine-launched ballistic missiles, the Mirage IV formed the airborne leg of the French nuclear deterrent until withdrawal from the nuclear-strike role in 1996. Final retirement of the IVA/IVP came in 2005, when the type was replaced by the Mirage 2000N and later the Rafale paired with the ASMP-A nuclear standoff missile. Around 62 airframes were completed at Dassault's Mérignac facility before production closed in 1968.

The airframe is a tail-less delta measuring roughly 77 ft (23.5 m) long with a 39 ft (11.8 m) wingspan. Empty weight is around 32,000 lb and maximum take-off weight 73,800 lb. Power comes from two SNECMA Atar 9K afterburning turbojets, each rated at roughly 10,400 lbf dry and 15,400 lbf with afterburner — the same engine family used in the Mirage III and Mirage F1. Top speed is Mach 2.2 (around 1,460 mph at altitude), service ceiling 65,000 ft, and combat radius about 800 nmi clean with an AN.22 nuclear store. With full fuel and air-to-air refuelling, range stretches to 2,400 nmi unrefuelled. The configuration echoes the Mirage III but on a much larger airframe. Stores include the centreline AN.22 free-fall weapon (around 70 kT), the later AN.45 (around 150 kT) on the IVA, and the ASMP nuclear standoff missile carried by the Mirage IVP from 1986. Secondary armament comprises four DEFA 552 30mm cannons under the fuselage and four external hardpoints for conventional ordnance.

The Mirage IV's primary mission was long-range nuclear strike: penetrating Soviet airspace at high altitude and supersonic speed to deliver AN.22 or AN.45 weapons against Warsaw Pact targets. Operating doctrine called for pairs or quads supported by KC-135F tankers on deep-penetration profiles. The Mirage IVP upgrade of 1986 introduced the ASMP standoff missile, removing the need to drive deep into hostile airspace before weapon release. Throughout the Cold War the type served as France's principal airborne nuclear-strike asset, complemented by the S-3 IRBM and the M-20, M-4 and M-45 SLBMs across the rest of the Force de Frappe.

For Kids — a shorter, friendlier version

The Dassault Mirage IV was France's strategic bomber for nearly 40 years. It looked like a giant Mirage III fighter, but it was much bigger and carried a single huge weapon under its belly. The Mirage IV was France's main long-range strike plane from 1964 to 1996.

The Mirage IV has two engines, two SNECMA Atar 9K-50 turbojets pushing it to Mach 2.2, faster than a rifle bullet. The plane has a triangle-shaped delta wing like the smaller Mirage III, but it is bigger and stronger. The Mirage IV could fly 1,500 miles with one refueling.

Only 62 Mirage IVs were built, all for France between 1964 and 1968. France always kept some Mirage IVs ready to fly at a moment's notice during the Cold War. Pilots and crews lived near the planes, sleeping in special rooms, ready to take off within minutes.

France replaced the Mirage IV with the Rafale starting in the 1990s. The last Mirage IVs were retired in 1996 from strike duty and 2005 from scout duty. Today five Mirage IVs are preserved in French museums.

Fun Facts

  • The Mirage IV is much bigger than its fighter sister, the Mirage III.
  • France always kept some Mirage IVs ready to take off within minutes during the Cold War.
  • Only 62 Mirage IVs were ever built, all for France.
  • Each Mirage IV had two crew members: a pilot in front and a navigator behind.
  • Top speed was Mach 2.2, more than twice the speed of sound.
  • Mirage IVs took air-to-air refueling from C-135FR tanker planes.
  • Today five Mirage IVs are preserved in French aviation museums.

Kids’ Questions

How is it different from a Mirage III?

The Mirage IV is much bigger than the Mirage III. The III is a single-seat fighter; the IV is a two-seat bomber with a navigator behind the pilot. The IV has two engines, the III has one. The IV is also stronger and carries much heavier weapons. Both have the same triangle-shaped delta wing, though.

Why did France need its own bomber?

During the Cold War, France wanted to defend itself without depending only on the United States. The Mirage IV gave France its own long-range strike force. Some Mirage IVs always sat at airfields ready to take off in just minutes, so France could respond to a Soviet attack on its own.

Where are they now?

The Mirage IV was retired from active service in 2005. Five planes are preserved in French museums, including the Musée de l'Air et de l'Espace near Paris. None still fly. France's modern long-range strike plane is the Rafale, with a much smaller cruise missile called the ASMP-A.

Variants

Mirage IVA (initial 1964)
Original 1964 production variant carrying the AN.22 nuclear free-fall weapon. Around 62 delivered, forming the backbone of French nuclear strike through the 1980s.
Mirage IVP (upgraded 1986)
Major 1986 upgrade adding ASMP nuclear standoff missile compatibility along with updated mission systems and cockpit. Around 18 IVA airframes were rebuilt to IVP standard, continuing the nuclear role until 1996.
Mirage IV reconnaissance variant
Reconnaissance-pod-equipped airframes used for the type's final role between 1996 and the 2005 retirement.

Notable Operators

French Armée de l'Air (former)
Sole operator. Around 62 Mirage IV/IVA/IVP served with the Forces Aériennes Stratégiques between 1964 and 2005, flying from Mont-de-Marsan, Cazaux, Istres and Avord. Final retirement: 2005.
Foreign / export
None — the Mirage IV was exclusively French-operated.
Preservation / museums
Around 6 surviving Mirage IV are preserved at French aviation museums, including the Musée de l'Air et de l'Espace at Le Bourget, the Musée Aéronautique de Bordeaux Mérignac, and Armée de l'Air heritage sites.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why did France develop the Mirage IV?

To secure an independent nuclear deterrent. The Force de Frappe / Force de Dissuasion doctrine deliberately avoided reliance on U.S. nuclear guarantees, and the Mirage IV provided the airborne component to sit alongside the S-3 IRBM and the M-20, M-4 and M-45 SLBMs. The land-air-sea triad gave France survivability and credibility against a Soviet first strike. The Mirage IV held that air-launched role until the ASMP-armed Mirage 2000N and later Rafale took over.

What were the AN.22, AN.45 and ASMP?

The successive French nuclear weapons carried by the Mirage IV. The AN.22 was the original 1960s free-fall bomb at around 70 kT. The AN.45, introduced in the 1970s, was a free-fall weapon of around 150 kT. ASMP (Air-Sol Moyenne Portée), fielded from 1986, is a nuclear standoff missile of around 150 nmi range and 150 kT yield, allowing release without deep penetration of enemy airspace. ASMP equipped the Mirage IVP from 1986 to 1996, the Mirage 2000N from 1988 to 2018, and later the Rafale in its ASMP-A form, which remains in service today.

How does the Mirage IV compare to the U.S. B-58 Hustler?

Both are late-1950s supersonic nuclear bombers. The B-58 Hustler used four General Electric J79 turbojets, reached Mach 2, served with the U.S. Air Force, ran to around 116 airframes built between 1958 and 1962, and retired in 1969. The Mirage IV used two SNECMA Atar 9K turbojets, reached Mach 2.2, served with the Armée de l'Air, ran to around 62 built between 1959 and 1968, and retired in 2005. The Mirage IV's far longer career partly reflects France's continued commitment to airborne nuclear strike well beyond the U.S. retirement of that role from the B-52 after 1991, and the 1986 IVP upgrade extended the type in a way the B-58 never received.

When was the Mirage IV retired?

The nuclear-strike role ended in 1996; the final reconnaissance role ended in 2005. The Mirage 2000N (in service from 1988) took over the IVP's nuclear strike duty in 1996, and the Rafale (in service from 2001-2006) replaced the 2000N from 2018. France's airborne nuclear deterrent has remained unbroken across those transitions, with the Rafale and ASMP-A providing the current platform. Final Mirage IV retirement: 2005.

Where can I see a Mirage IV today?

Around 6 airframes survive worldwide. Key French museums include the Musée de l'Air et de l'Espace at Le Bourget — France's premier aviation museum — and the Musée Aéronautique de Bordeaux Mérignac next to the Dassault factory, along with Armée de l'Air heritage collections. The bomber is large and dramatic in static display, making it a memorable museum exhibit.

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