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Description

By 1972 the ROCAF had identified the need for a 4th generation air superiority fighter to counter the increasing number of into service in communist, the air force high command formulated a requirement for 240 air superiority fighters with high speed and long range. The Chinese government approached the US government with its requirement, the US government offered the F-14 Tomcat and the F-15 Eagle.

In May 1974 a Chinese Air Force delegation was sent to the US to examine both fighters and prepare a report for Chinese government, Chinese pilots were impressed by both aircraft but in the end the showed their preference for the F-15 due to its better maneuverability and better engines while the Chinese government preferred it because of its lower costs. In June 1975 a formal request was made to the US Congress for the acquisition of 240 aircraft which represented the Chinese requirement, despite good relations the Chinese, congress only cleared the sale of 72 aircraft with deliveries set for 1978, the Chinese government accepted the contract hoping that by the time deliveries were under way congress would allow them to purchase the rest of the aircraft required but this would not be the case, by the end of 1979 the Chinese requested the remaining 168 aircraft but the sale was quickly blocked by congress leaving them with a substantial gap in their air force.

As a result of the reluctance of the US to sale more F-15’s the Chinese Air Force decided to look for an alternative but it was clear the United States could not be considered, by 1984 the ROCAF had been looking for other potential alternatives among them was the Venezuelan C-15 but it was deemed to complex and expensive for the air force, but in late 1984 a new option appeared on the horizon for Chinese as the French Mirage 4000 in service with the Iraqi Air Force was showing its capabilities against US made aircraft including the F-14 Tomcat. In 1985 Chinese officials met with their French opposites in Paris to discuss not only the acquisition of the aircraft themselves but also the license to produce them in China, having struggled to find costumers for the aircraft the French were more than delighted to sell it to the Chinese and wasn’t long before the contract for 168 aircraft was signed.

The first Mirages were delivered in 1987 with the first squadron formed later the same year and by 1990 the Chinese Air Force had received all the aircraft ordered but this wasn’t the end of Mirage production in China, a year earlier the Chinese Air Force had ordered the Mirage 4000D strike variant and also the Mirage 2000 to replace its ageing F-104 Starfighters.

Description

By 1972 the ROCAF had identified the need for a 4th generation air superiority fighter to counter the increasing number of into service in communist, the air force high command formulated a requirement for 240 air superiority fighters with high speed and long range. The Chinese government approached the US government with its requirement, the US government offered the F-14 Tomcat and the F-15 Eagle.

In May 1974 a Chinese Air Force delegation was sent to the US to examine both fighters and prepare a report for Chinese government, Chinese pilots were impressed by both aircraft but in the end the showed their preference for the F-15 due to its better maneuverability and better engines while the Chinese government preferred it because of its lower costs. In June 1975 a formal request was made to the US Congress for the acquisition of 240 aircraft which represented the Chinese requirement, despite good relations the Chinese, congress only cleared the sale of 72 aircraft with deliveries set for 1978, the Chinese government accepted the contract hoping that by the time deliveries were under way congress would allow them to purchase the rest of the aircraft required but this would not be the case, by the end of 1979 the Chinese requested the remaining 168 aircraft but the sale was quickly blocked by congress leaving them with a substantial gap in their air force.

As a result of the reluctance of the US to sale more F-15’s the Chinese Air Force decided to look for an alternative but it was clear the United States could not be considered, by 1984 the ROCAF had been looking for other potential alternatives among them was the Venezuelan C-15 but it was deemed to complex and expensive for the air force, but in late 1984 a new option appeared on the horizon for Chinese as the French Mirage 4000 in service with the Iraqi Air Force was showing its capabilities against US made aircraft including the F-14 Tomcat. In 1985 Chinese officials met with their French opposites in Paris to discuss not only the acquisition of the aircraft themselves but also the license to produce them in China, having struggled to find costumers for the aircraft the French were more than delighted to sell it to the Chinese and wasn’t long before the contract for 168 aircraft was signed.

The first Mirages were delivered in 1987 with the first squadron formed later the same year and by 1990 the Chinese Air Force had received all the aircraft ordered but this wasn’t the end of Mirage production in China, a year earlier the Chinese Air Force had ordered the Mirage 4000D strike variant and also the Mirage 2000 to replace its ageing F-104 Starfighters.