The bottom line: the Armée de l'Air ORs / procurement in the 1966 - 1976 decade (and afterwards, toward Rafale) was a complete nightmare.
They changed the goalposts
- from F2 to F3 to F1 to F1-M53
(only to lose against the F-16 and build the 2000 !)
- then, from AFVG to G to G4 to G8 to ACF
(and none reached production !)
- and finally, from 4000 to 2000 to Rafale !
(in 1975 Président Giscard screwed the 4000 for the less expensive 2000; the Armée de l'Air just waited 5 years and then brought back a miniature, supposedly less expensive 4000: the Rafale. No kidding)
All this, because of a quixotic quest for a heavy twin-jet fighter that was perfectly unaffordable; mixed with the quest for a single engine interceptor that was more affordable, but very unwanted.
And don't start me on the Jaguar, which cost burden made the situation even worse at the worst possible moment: 1969-1973.
In an saner world, over the same span of time the AdA would have had exactly two aircraft
- Mirage F3 with a beefed-up M53
- defer the twin jet to the British (AFVG) or Europe (buy Tornado you idiot !)
And nothing, nothing else until Rafale. PERIOD.
