Mirage 4000 prototype displayed at the Musée de l'Air et de l'Espace at Le Bourget, France
Design and development
The Mirage 4000 was noticeably larger and heavier than the single-engined Mirage 2000, the 4000 having two SNECMA M53-2 turbofans.[1] It also featured small canards above the engine air intakes and a true bubble canopy, compared to the Mirage 2000 and previous Mirages. Despite the changes, the two aircraft remained similar, sharing the delta wing design, semi-conical Oswatitsch-type[clarification needed] air intakes, and general configuration.[citation needed]
The Mirage 4000 first flew on 9 March 1979.[1] It was financed as a private venture by Dassault.[1] The Mirage 4000 was comparable in size to the United States F-15 Eagle, and was designed to be both a long-range interceptor and a capable fighter-bomber.[citation needed]
In the early 1980s, Dassault ended the program shortly after the Saudis chose the Tornado (see Al-Yamamah arms deal) as their preferred aircraft. Iran had been lost as a potential customer after the coup against the Shah in 1979.[2] The French Air Force preferred to concentrate on the Mirage 2000, leaving Dassault with no customers. Some of the expertise thus gained would later influence the Dassault Rafale.[3]
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