Dassault Mirage G

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dassault_Mirage_G

The Dassault Mirage G was a French two-seat twinjet variable-geometry prototype
fighter, built by Dassault Aviation in the late 1960s. The type was further
developed into the twin-engine Mirage G4 and G8 variants as a multi-role jet
fighter capable of both interception and nuclear strike missions. Although
Dassault built and flew prototypes, the entire programme was terminated in the
1970s without the aircraft entering production.

In 1964 the French defence ministry requested a development programme on
variable-sweep wing aircraft for dual land and aircraft carrier use. France had
participated with the Anglo-French Variable Geometry aircraft (AFVG) before
abandoning their interest; later Dassault received an order for a prototype,
powered by a single Pratt & Whitney/SNECMA TF-306 turbofan in October 1965.

The first variable-sweep aircraft from Dassault emerged as the single-engined,
two-seat Mirage G fighter in 1967, essentially a swing wing version of the
Mirage F2. The wings were swept at 22 degrees when fully forward and 70 degrees
when fully aft and featured full-span double-slotted trailing edge flaps and
two-position leading edge flaps.

Flight trials were relatively successful but no production order ensued, the
Mirage G programme being cancelled in 1968. Flying with the Mirage G continued
however until 13 January 1971 when the sole prototype was lost in an accident.


Role
Swing-wing multirole fighter

Manufacturer
Dassault Aviation

First flight
18 November 1967

Status
Cancelled in the 1970s

Primary user
French Air Force

Number built
3

Developed from
Dassault Mirage F2


Variants

Mirage G

Single-engined initial version, first flight 18 November 1967. Crashed 13
January 1971.

Mirage G4

The basic Mirage G was developed into a twin-engine, two-seat nuclear strike
fighter, the Mirage G4 after a separate contract was issued in 1968 for two
aircraft to be built. These aircraft were intended to be powered by Snecma M53
turbofans in production. While the aircraft were under construction the
requirements changed and the French military requested that the design be
converted into a dedicated interceptor, the Mirage G8.

Mirage G8

Mirage G4-01 was redesignated G8-01 and remained a two-seat aircraft (first
flight 8 May 1971) with the second aircraft, G4-02 becoming a single-seat
version, G8-02 (first flight 13 July 1972). The G8 variants were equipped with
Thomson-CSF radar and a low-altitude navigational-attack system based on that
used in the SEPECAT Jaguar and Dassault Milan. As no funding was included for
the Mirage G8 in the 1971-1976 French defence budget the aircraft did not enter
production.

Specifications (Mirage G8-02)

General characteristics
Crew: 1
Length: 18.8 m (61 ft 8 in)
Wingspan: 15.4 m (50 ft 6 in)
Lower wingspan: 8.7 m (28 ft 7 in) swept
Height: 5.35 m (17 ft 7 in)
Empty weight: 14,740 kg (32,496 lb)
Powerplant: 2 × SNECMA Atar 9K50 after-burning turbojet engines, 49.03 kN
(11,020 lbf) thrust each dry, 70.1 kN (15,800 lbf) with afterburner

Performance
Maximum speed: Mach 2.2
Range: 3,850 km (2,392 mi; 2,079 nmi)
Service ceiling: 18,500 m (60,700 ft)



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