Dassault Mirage 4000

Dassault Aviation · France · first flew 1979 · fighter

The Dassault Mirage 4000 was a large twin-engine delta-wing fighter demonstrator developed as a private venture by Dassault, essentially a scaled-up twin-engined Mirage 2000 intended for long-range interception and multi-role operations. It remained a single prototype.

Recognition (WEFT)

W — Wings	Low-mounted, delta
E — Engines	2 × turbofan, fuselage-mounted
F — Fuselage	18.7 m fuselage
T — Tail	No tailplane

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Spot it by:

Twin-engine enlarged Mirage 2000 demonstrator
Large delta-wing interceptor prototype
No canards; pure delta with small vertical tail only

Visually similar to the Mirage 2000 but noticeably larger, with twin engine intakes and a more massive fuselage, distinguishable from the 2000 by its twin exhausts and greater overall size.

Specifications

The Dassault Mirage 4000 has a length of 18.7 m (61 ft).
It has a wingspan of 12 m (39 ft).
Its maximum speed is 2445 km/h (1519 mph).
Typical crew: 1.

Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.

History

First flown in March 1979, the Mirage 4000 was Dassault's bid for a high-performance heavy fighter to compete internationally. Despite impressive performance, no orders were secured; export customers opted for the smaller Mirage 2000, and France did not require a heavier type.

Variants

Only the single prototype was built; the Mirage 4000 remained a demonstrator throughout its life.

Where you'll see it

Never entered service with any air force; the sole aircraft was used for flight testing and demonstration before being retired.

Related aircraft

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