More than 50 years ago, on May 19, 1967, the Mirage V attack aircraft made its maiden flight
This event not only marked the development of the French military aviation industry but also had an important meaning for the Israeli aircraft industry
Mirage V was the result of cooperation between France and Israel in the 1950s-1960s
At that time, the Israeli Air Force was looking for a modern delta-wing platform similar to the US F-86 Saber
but their proposal to buy was rejected by Washington
In early 1959, Israel was intrigued by the Mirage III project, a delta-wing interceptor capable of reaching twice the speed of sound
Israel ordered 24 Mirage IIICJs in May 1960
They were equipped with the Cyrano I bis radar to support the Matra R.530 air-to-air missiles
the first radar-guided weapon in the Middle East
However, problems related to the SNECMA Atar 09B engine and radar led to the birth of the Mirage 5 project
a simpler, cheaper Mirage variant that was easier to maintain and operate
Mirage 5 is capable of reaching a speed of 2,350 km/h, equipped with a minimalist electronic system
The fuselage is lengthened compared to the Mirage IIICJ version, which increases fuel reserves and weapon hardpoints
Its armament includes 2× 30 mm DEFA 552 cannons with 125 rounds per gun
2× Matra JL-100 drop tank/rocket pack, each with 18× SNEB 68 mm rockets and 66 US gallons of fuel
There are 2× AIM-9 Sidewinder OR Matra R550 Magic missiles.
It can also carry up to 4 tons payload on five external hardpoints
including a variety of bombs, reconnaissance pods or Drop tanks
Mirage V was demonstrated during the Six-Day War in June 1967
The Israeli attack aircraft destroyed most of the neighboring Arab air force planes before they could take off
enabling Israeli infantry to win on the battlefield
After the Six-Day War, France imposed an arms embargo against Israel
The delivery of 50 Mirage Vs to the Israeli Air Force was cancelled
In early 1968, Dassault secretly signed a contract called "JC3" with Rockwell International to manufacture Mirage V in Israel
as a way of circumventing the embargo
Under the agreement, 50 aircraft would be delivered as disassembled parts
The result of these efforts was the formation of the Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) in 1968
Thanks to a secret contract with Dassault, just three years later, IAI produced the first of 51 Mirage V attack aircraft
all assembled from its French production unit, confirmed by the inscriptions engraved on the fuselage
However, the IAI still insists that its Mirage V fleet, nicknamed Nesher, are all "developed and manufactured in Israel"
From this platform, IAI gradually rose to become one of the major forces in the world's military aviation industry, making Israel an air power in the region