The Mirage III, manufactured by the French company Dassault, was evaluated as early as 1959 and procured to replace the Vampire. In addition to its outstanding flight characteristics, the proximity to the manufacturer’s plant and the fact that the airframes and engines were built under license in Switzerland were also compelling factors. Introduced in 1964, the procurement of 36 Mirage IIIS fighter aircraft and 2 two-seater BS variants was completed in 1969; in 1970, the 17th RS acquired them to replace the Venom MK.1 as reconnaissance aircraft.

Thanks to its outstanding flight performance, the Mirage IIIS served as the backbone of Swiss air defense for decades as an interceptor, particularly for interception missions at speeds of up to twice the speed of sound and at high altitudes of up to 20,000 m above sea level.

During its service life, the Mirage received electronic and aerodynamic upgrades, and as part of the “KAWEST85” modernization program, the entire fleet was equipped starting in 1988 with additional canards, a new ejection seat, chaff-and-flare dispensers, various antennas, and new sensor systems, as well as a new camouflage scheme for the S and DS fleets.

The 29 Mirage IIIS that were still in service in 1998 were gradually phased out with the introduction of the F/A-18 Hornet by the end of 1999. The two two-seater DS aircraft and the 16 RS reconnaissance aircraft were retired exactly four years later, on December 31, 2003. To mark the occasion, two Mirage IIIRS aircraft from Squadron 10 were presented to the public during their final year of service in the “Black & White” retirement livery (a design that symbolically references the black-and-white footage from the onboard cameras).

The official era of the elegant delta-wing aircraft in the Swiss Air Force came to an end—but the legend of this high-performance and reliable fighter jet will live on forever.

“A beautiful airplane is one that flies well.” – Marcel Dassault