The Mirage IIIRZ was a dedicated photographic reconnaissance aircraft in South African Air Force (SAAF) service from 1967 to 1990. The primary role was unarmed high-speed aerial reconnaissance, which included both general photographic mapping and post-strike assessments. For self-defence during these missions, the aircraft could be fitted with two V3B Kukri (or AIM-9B) infrared-guided missiles on the outer wing pylons. The 4 aircraft were delivered to the SAAF in June 1967. One specific airframe, serial number 835, arrived at AFB Waterkloof via C-130 Hercules on 11 December 1966, before being allocated to 2 Squadron in April 1967.
Based on the Mirage IIIE airframe, the ‘R’ variant replaced the nose radar with a camera pack that typically housed a combination of cameras for forward and side-looking imagery. The aircraft were single-seaters.
The aircraft remained with 2 Squadron until they were officially withdrawn from SAAF service in October 1990. The surviving airframes, including tail number 835, were delivered to the SAAF Museum for preservation
