During 1975, a large order for 30 Mirage F1CHs and 20 Mirage F1EHs was placed by the Royal Moroccan Air Force (RMAF) with Dassault, the first of which to be delivered during 1978.
Upon delivery, these were grouped into two squadrons, one focusing on ground-attack operations and the other upon air defence; comprising over a third of its fighter force, the Mirage F1 served as the primary air defence fighter of the RMAF for the next two decades.
As early as 1979, these aircraft were engaged in combat missions against the forces of the Polisario Front, operating in Western Sahara.
The RMAF lost seven Mirages as a result of hostile fire, along with a further six which had crashed due to different mishaps.
Three Mirage pilots were killed and three were captured.
According to politics author Anthony Cordesman, the RMAF has struggled to effectively service and operate all of its Mirage F1s, possibly due to a lack of funding for spare parts.
During 1975, a large order for 30 Mirage F1CHs and 20 Mirage F1EHs was placed by the Royal Moroccan Air Force (RMAF) with Dassault, the first of which to be delivered during 1978. Upon delivery, these were grouped into two squadrons, one focusing on ground-attack operations and the other upon air defence; comprising over a third of its fighter force, the Mirage F1 served as the primary air defence fighter of the RMAF for the next two decades. As early as 1979, these aircraft were engaged in combat missions against the forces of the Polisario Front, operating in Western Sahara. The RMAF lost seven Mirages as a result of hostile fire, along with a further six which had crashed due to different mishaps. Three Mirage pilots were killed and three were captured. According to politics author Anthony Cordesman, the RMAF has struggled to effectively service and operate all of its Mirage F1s, possibly due to a lack of funding for spare parts.
Dassault Mirage F1