DCS AERGES MIRAGE F1, Flight Manual

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DCS: Mirage F1 Flight Manual Version 1.0
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1. INTRODUCTION
Introduction
The Mirage F1 is a single engine French fighter and attack aircraft first introduced in the early
1970s. It was envisioned originally as an all-weather interceptor and has seen many variants,
roles and configurations. It is still in service today with multiple air forces and private companies.
The F1 is equipped with a single SNECMA Atar 9K-50 afterburning turbojet, capable of delivering
70 kN of thrust at sea level. A Cyrano IV monopulse radar (later Cyrano IVM) is carried by most
of the variants of the aircraft.
The aircraft can carry an extensive variety of payloads: Both IR and radar air to air missiles,
guided and unguided bombs, rockets, as well as countermeasures, reconnaissance and
electronic warfare pods. Most versions also carry two internal 30 mm DEFA 553 cannons. Some
of the latest variants can carry the famous AM39 Exocet antiship missile.
History
During the 1960s, Dassault was involved in the development of several fighter design projects:
the F1, the larger F2, the swing-wing G and the BAC/Dassault AFVG. Cost and political issues led
to the cancellation of all of these projects, except of the F1, which was a lighter fighter aircraft
designed from the beginning to be the successor of the Mirage III and V families of aircraft.
The Mirage F1 wing and empennage configuration enabled it to improve upon some of the
problems of that the Mirage III and V suffered due to their delta wing configuration: The high lift
devices of the F1 allowed for shorter landing distances and better manoeuvrability and handling
at low speeds. The F1 was also able to carry 40% more fuel internally and had a more powerful
engine.
The initial prototype first flew on the 23
rd
of December of 1966, already achieving speeds in
excess of Mach 2 in its fourth flight. A fatal accident related to fluttering destroyed this
prototype but, after a redesign, the testing of the aircraft continued successfully and the first
deliveries of the production aircraft took place in May 1973.
The type has partaken in multiple conflicts serving different countries throughout its extensive
service life. With France it has served in Operations Manta, Epervier, Daguet (the Gulf War),
Provide Comfort, Harmatan and Serval over Chad, Libya, Mali, Kuwait… As well as in Afghanistan.
It partook in the South African Border War with South Africa, in the Paquisha War with Ecuador,
in the Libyan civil war, in the Western Sahara War with Morocco and, perhaps most famously,
in the Iran-Iraq and Gulf wars with Iraq.
The Mirage F1 has served in the air forces of several countries: France, Iraq, Spain, South Africa,
Greece, Jordan, Kuwait, Ecuador and Qatar. It is still in operation in several others: Morocco,
Iran, Libya, Gabon and the Republic of the Congo. It also serves in private aggressor training
services in the USA.