May 17 1965 - with some differences. The supersonic requirement for a trainer is canned, end result is an AlphaJet / Hawk hybrid. Staunchly subsonic, can't growth into Jaguar. Breguet still goes under and is forced into Dassault as a job program 1967-69. The program is consolidated as a Fouga Magister / T-33 replacement, eventually.
Because of Breguet weakness, the British decides to take leadership in the trainer program, which happens to be the least expensive of the two.
The said Dassault... is (logically) given leadership on AFVG, a pyrrhic victory. Indeed that instantly cut short any further direct development of the Mirage F2 - either single-seat interceptor (F3) or VG variant (Mirage G and derivatives - G4, G8...).
SNECMA gets the M45G mk.102.
The Armée de l'Air procurement, as usual, is in shamble. After some hesitation, they pick the AFVG as a possible Mirage IV successor in the long term. They reluctantly recognizes (along with the Navy) that thing small engines and turbofans provides an extremely long range / loiter time: good for an interceptor.
The French Navy (unlike Dassault and the armée de l'air) instantly falls in love with the AFVG as it provides a miniature F-111B, two generations ahead of their Crusaders. French Navy support will prove crucial in the long term.
Dassault still needs to replace the Mirage III / Mirage V (and has few love for the AFVG BUT they are trapped just like the Jaguar partners were OTL.)
They have two way forward
- a much upgraded Mirage III / Mirage V (Mirage 50, kind of - rejected: old airframe, delta wings).
- a subscale Mirage F2 (OTL Mirage F1, here called the Mirage F4)
Now the Armée de l'Air has four interceptors options (thanks Dassault for flooding them with proposals !)
- Mirage F3 with TF306E
- Mirage F1 with Atar 9K50
- Mirage F4 with a M45G-2 (beefed up Mk.104 variant)
- Mirage F5 with M53
In turn, this set SNECMA into turmoil and anxiety: they have to pick one engine among the four (!)
Atar is at the end of its development rope with the 9K50 and thus Mirage F1 is rejected.
Leaving M53 paper project versus existing M45 vs TF306E.
M53 kick the bucket, and SNECMA is unable to chose.
In the end, cost and politics gets the F4 rather than the F3; and the M45G rather than TF306E.
So by 1970, Armée de l'Air future is firmly set around
- Mirage F4
- AFVG for strike (nuclear strike in the long term)
- Possibly, an AFVG interceptor if budgets allows for it.
The French Navy is considering a mix of naval AFVG with naval Mirage F4 as "Plan B". In both cases, the Navy, startled, realizes that the diminutive turbofan, with its very low fuel consumption, yields amazing loiter times. A naval AFVG can patrol away from the Clemenceaus from quite a long time.
Even the fixed wing, single engine Mirage F4 beat the crap of any M53, J79, Spey, TF306E or Atar naval numerous "naval Mirage F" proposal.
SNECMA finally get their heads out of the sand and realize the M45G could have potential as an extremely lightweight and compact engine. Low fuel consumption, advanced technology. It only needs more thrust. RR answers positively and pulls a Mk.104 with 20% more thrust.
Because of Breguet weakness, the British decides to take leadership in the trainer program, which happens to be the least expensive of the two.
The said Dassault... is (logically) given leadership on AFVG, a pyrrhic victory. Indeed that instantly cut short any further direct development of the Mirage F2 - either single-seat interceptor (F3) or VG variant (Mirage G and derivatives - G4, G8...).
SNECMA gets the M45G mk.102.
The Armée de l'Air procurement, as usual, is in shamble. After some hesitation, they pick the AFVG as a possible Mirage IV successor in the long term. They reluctantly recognizes (along with the Navy) that thing small engines and turbofans provides an extremely long range / loiter time: good for an interceptor.
The French Navy (unlike Dassault and the armée de l'air) instantly falls in love with the AFVG as it provides a miniature F-111B, two generations ahead of their Crusaders. French Navy support will prove crucial in the long term.
Dassault still needs to replace the Mirage III / Mirage V (and has few love for the AFVG BUT they are trapped just like the Jaguar partners were OTL.)
They have two way forward
- a much upgraded Mirage III / Mirage V (Mirage 50, kind of - rejected: old airframe, delta wings).
- a subscale Mirage F2 (OTL Mirage F1, here called the Mirage F4)
Now the Armée de l'Air has four interceptors options (thanks Dassault for flooding them with proposals !)
- Mirage F3 with TF306E
- Mirage F1 with Atar 9K50
- Mirage F4 with a M45G-2 (beefed up Mk.104 variant)
- Mirage F5 with M53
In turn, this set SNECMA into turmoil and anxiety: they have to pick one engine among the four (!)
Atar is at the end of its development rope with the 9K50 and thus Mirage F1 is rejected.
Leaving M53 paper project versus existing M45 vs TF306E.
M53 kick the bucket, and SNECMA is unable to chose.
In the end, cost and politics gets the F4 rather than the F3; and the M45G rather than TF306E.
So by 1970, Armée de l'Air future is firmly set around
- Mirage F4
- AFVG for strike (nuclear strike in the long term)
- Possibly, an AFVG interceptor if budgets allows for it.
The French Navy is considering a mix of naval AFVG with naval Mirage F4 as "Plan B". In both cases, the Navy, startled, realizes that the diminutive turbofan, with its very low fuel consumption, yields amazing loiter times. A naval AFVG can patrol away from the Clemenceaus from quite a long time.
Even the fixed wing, single engine Mirage F4 beat the crap of any M53, J79, Spey, TF306E or Atar naval numerous "naval Mirage F" proposal.
SNECMA finally get their heads out of the sand and realize the M45G could have potential as an extremely lightweight and compact engine. Low fuel consumption, advanced technology. It only needs more thrust. RR answers positively and pulls a Mk.104 with 20% more thrust.
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