Sabre to Mirage

Reflections on an earlier RAAF fighter transition

With the fifth-generation F-35A Lightning II waiting in the wings and time soon to be called on the venerable F/A-18 Classic Hornet, it is timely to reflect on how the RAAF effected previous fighter transitions. Subsequent articles will examine the shifts from the Mirage to the Hornet, and from the Hornet to the Lightning.

The transition from the Australian-built Avon Sabre to the French Dassault Mirage IIIO involved a huge advance in capability, from a day fighter – albeit an outstanding high altitude gunfighter – to an all-weather tactical fighter.