Iraqi Mirages: Dassault Mirage Family in Service with Iraqi Air Force, 1981-1988

(Paperback)

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Description

Originally envisaged as a privately funded project for a possible future NATO-fighter, the Dassault Mirage F.1 evolved into one of the most aesthetically attractive and commercially most successful combat aircraft of the 1970s and 1980s. Developed into more than a dozen of different variants and sub-variants each of them custom-tailored to requirements of air forces that flew it it also became a type that saw intensive combat service in numerous wars on no less than three different continents. Iraq became the biggest export customer for Mirage F.1. One way or the other, the Iraqi Air Force significantly contributed and financed the further development of this type, but also influenced research and development of a number of further systems that followed in its wake most of which eventually found their way into operational service in France. While the Mirage F.1 has attracted at least some coverage in English language publications, its acquisition and combat deployment by Iraq still remains a topic with not a few controversies. The purpose of this volume is to redress the balance and provide an in-depth insight into the acquisition process, development and equipment of custom-tailored variants made for Iraq, training of Iraqi personnel on the type, and its combat deployment during wars against Iran, 1980-1988, and against the US-led, so-called Gulf Coalition, in 1991 and afterwards. Originally envisaged and acquired as a 'pure' interceptor, before long the Mirage F.1 in Iraqi service proved a highly capable multi-role platform aircraft, and was widely deployed not only for ground attack but also anti-shipping purposes, as an aerial tanker, and for delivering long-range pin-point attacks. Illustrated with over 120 photographs and many colour profiles, this book provides a unique, single point of reference on camouflage, markings, and armament configurations of Mirage F.1s in Iraqi service.

Reviews

"...a must read for anyone interested in Middle East military history, the study of Iran, or Mirage jet fighters. The book absolutely satisfies a niche in Western printing that has been unfilled."-- "Air Power History"
"Fifteen Mirage F.1 profiles with color notes and external loads also provide potent project appeal. A single plan view helpfully depicts standard F.1 dorsal camouflage. And three final plates illustrate a Super Etendard, Falcon 50, and Mirage 2000IQ. Authors offer, in short, concise, multi-dimensional commentary on the total topic. That's the hallmark of Helion's outstanding "@War" approach. And it certainly defines this excellent effort."-- "Cybermodeler"

Author Bio

Tom Cooper is an Austrian aerial warfare analyst and historian. Following a career in the worldwide transportation business during which he established a network of contacts in the Middle East and Africa he moved into narrow-focus analysis and writing on small, little-known air forces and conflicts, about which he has collected extensive archives. This has resulted in specialisation in such Middle Eastern air forces as of those of Egypt, Iran, Iraq, and Syria, plus various African and Asian air forces. As well as authoring and co-authoring more than 50 books - including an in-depth analysis of major Arab air forces at wars with Israel in period 1955-1973 - and over 1000 articles, Cooper is editor of Helion's five @War series. Milos Sipos is a Slovakian military historian. While pursuing a career in the law, he has collected extensive documentation on inter-connected political, industrial, human resources and military-related affairs in Iran, Iraq, and Syria. His core interest is a systematic approach to studies of their deep impacts upon combat efficiency and the general performance of local militaries. After more than 10 years of related work on the ACIG.info forum, he co-authored the much-acclaimed book Iraqi Mirages: The Dassault Mirage Family in Service with the Iraqi Air Force.