Dassault Mirage 5 and IAI Kfir in Colombian service

Dassault Mirage 5

FAC purchased in 1971 18 brand new aircraft in 3 versions: M5COA (single seat
fighter), M5COR (single seat recce) and M5COD (2 seat trainer). They were received
by 1972. Surviving exemplars were upgraded with Israeli assistance to Kfir standard
and renamed M5COAM during mid-1990’s . One surviving M5COR was converted
into M5COAM. Surviving airframes retired by 2011. It was said 2 M5CODM were
refitted to train Kfir in 2015-2016. But FAC purchased 1 more Kfir TC.12.

Fuerza Aérea Colombiana

Dassault Mirage 5COD/COR/COA and upgrades in service
FAC No. Constr. No. Type Upgrade Notes
3001 506 or 508(*) M5COD M5CODM Delivered Nov/1971. Upgraded to CODM.
Retired Oct 2010. Reported back into
service 2016 (**) Image
3002 478 M5COD M5CODM Delivered Nov/1971. Upgraded to CODM.
Retired Oct 2010. Reported back into
service 2016 (**) Image ; cockpit
3011 M5COR M5COAM Delivered Sep/1973. Upgraded to COAM
1996. Re-numbered 3035. Retired 2010:
Preserved El Dorado Image
3012 M5COR - Delivered Sep/1973. Crashed Nov/1973 or
13/02/1974
3021 M5COA M5COAM Delivered 01/Jan/1972. Upgraded to
COAM. Crashed 14/Aug/2000
3022 M5COA M5COAM Delivered 1972. Upgraded to COAM.
Retired 2010 Image
3023 M5COA - Delivered 1972. Crashed 07/Apr/1997 or
06/1990
3024 M5COA M5COAM Delivered 01/Jan/1972. Retired 2010.
Preserved Escuela de Aviación Militar Cali
Image
3025 M5COA - Delivered 01/Jan/1972. Crashed
12/08/1972
3026 M5COA M5COAM Delivered 1972. First upgrade in Colombia.
Crashed 29/09/1998
3027 651/9 M5COA - Delivered 1972. Not upgraded. Preserved
Museo Aeroespacial Colombiano, Bogotá
Image
3028 M5COA Delivered 1972. Crashed
3029 M5COA M5COAM Delivered 1972. First upgrade in Israel.
Crashed 07/Apr/1997
3030 101/102 M5COA M5COAM Delivered 1973. Upgraded to COAM.
Retired Oct/2010. Preserved El Palanquero
 Image
3031 712/43 M5COA M5COAM Delivered 1973. Upgraded to COAM.
Crashed 15/May/2009 Image
3032 M5COA - Delivered 1973. Crashed Jun/1985 or
12/07/1985 Image
3033 M5COA M5COAM Delivered 1973. Converted to COAM.
Preserved El Palanquero. Image
3034 M5COA M5COAM Delivered 1973. Crashed 21/Oct/1999
3035 - M5COAM Ex-3011. See 3011

Sources
Colombian Air Force Mirage Squadrons: No.1 “Mirage 5”; No.212 “Mirage”; No.112
“Mirage”

(*) Latin American Mirages - Rivas/Cicalesi p.216

(**) https://www.defensa.com/colombia/adaptacion-mirage-5-kfir-para-entrenar-
pilotos-fuerza-aerea Article from May 2016. However FAC received 2 IAI Kfir TC.12
and were already active by July 2017

Notes
1: Delivery and Service Entry dates vary
2: Mirage 5COAM/DM last flight on 29-10-2010

Mirage 5COAM/DM articles

https://www.aviacol.net/noticias/en-emocionante-ceremonia-la-fac-despide-al-
mirage-5.html
https://americamilitar.com/fuerza-aerea/32-aviones-caza-de-la-fuerza-aerea-de-
colombia-p149.html

IAI Kfir
FAC purchased 2 lots of Kfir. First lot were C.2 and upgraded into C.7; later a second
lot of upgraded C.10 and C.12 were purchased. Maintenance was done by IAI and
paid by a nominated quantity of hours. Several trainer crashes occurred. The latest
variants are quite capable and can carry BVR missiles and Litening pods. Most
upgraded Kfirs are referred to as “Kfir COA” by FAC. Kfir C.10 and C.12 are said to
have interchangeable nose, being C.12 the most advanced because it has a radar.

Fuerza Aérea Colombiana

IAI Kfir C.2/C.7COA/C.10/C.12/TC.2/TC.7/TC.12
FAC No. Constr. No. Type Upgrade (b) Notes
(a)
3003 B08 TC.2 TC.7 First TC.2 in Israel. In service
1990. Crashed 27/09/2013
Image
3004 B04 TC.2 TC.12 In service 13/07/2009. Overshot
runway 20/07/2009 before
delivery. Israeli pilots survived.
 Image
3005 B05 TC.2 TC.12 In service 14/01/2010. Crashed
30/09/2010 Image
3006 B06 TC.2 TC.12 Crashed 18/02/2014, one pilot
dead Image
3007 B07 TC.2 TC.12 COA Purchased to replace 3004
Image
3008 TC.2 TC.12 Reported in service 07/2017
Image
3009 TC.2 TC.12 Reported in service 07/2017
3040 54 C.2 C.10 In service 1989. Image
3041 58 C.2 C.7; C.12 COA In service 1989. Crashed
31/12/2014. Special livery
Image
3042 59 or 60 C.2 C.7 In service 1989. Crashed
02/05/1995
3043 61 C.2 C.7; C.12 In service 1989. Special black
livery Image
3044 62 C.2 C.7; C10 COA In service 1989. Image
3045 75 C.2 C.7; C.12 COA Manufactured C.2 C.7
prototype in Israel. In service
1989. Image
3046 93 C.2 C.7 In service 1989. Crashed
04/06/2003 Image
3047 C.2 C.7; C.12 COA In service 1989.
3048 102 C.2 C.7; C.12 In service 1989. Image
3049 104 C.2 C.7; C.12 COA In service 1989. Image
3050 122 C.2 C7; C.12 In service 1989.
3051 123 C.2 C.10 In service 1989.
3052 176 C.7 C.12 In service 13/07/2009 Image
3053 180 C.7 C.10/C.12 (c) In service 13/07/2009 Image
3054 193 C.7 C.12 In service 13/07/2009 Image
3055 187 C.7 C.10 In service 11/01/2009 Image
3056 191 C.7 C.10/C.12 (c) In service 11/01/2009 Image
3057 198 C.7 C.10 In service 11/01/2009 Image
3058 184 C.7 C.10 Reported sold to Sri Lanka.
Colombian service. Image
3059 C.7 C.10 In service 01/06/2010 Image
3060 188 or 182 C.7 C.10 In service 01/06/2010. Special
livery Image
3061 C.7 C.12 In service DD/MM/YYYY. Image
3062 ?
Colombian Air force IAI Kfir Squadrons: No. 111, No.213

(a) as manufactured by IAI.

(b) as received by FAC
(c) sources vary

Sources
https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/dblist.php?AcType=KFIR
http://www.aeroflight.co.uk/waf/aa-mideast/israel/af/types/iai1.htm
https://www.aviacol.net/noticias/incidente-del-avion-kfir-fac-3004-en-
cartagena.html
https://www.lazygranch.com/rf2012_4_columbia.htm

Notes
1-Dates are in DD/MM/YYYY format
2-In some cases data from different sources is conflicting, so both were added.

Version
07/Nov/2018

The present work is based on Julien Villière’s PDF available on Mirage III For ever
Facebook Group. Some notes, data and links were added by Juan Contreras.