Draken International started Mirage F1M reassembly for adversary air aggressor services.

Draken International started reassembling the Mirage F1M fighter jets for the USAF Advanced Aggressor contract. "First of 20 Mirage F1Ms to be returned to service as Adversaries for the USAF," the US-based company said on its Facebook account. "The first Mirage F1 has arrived to the hanger for assembly from Spain," it added.

Reassembly began in the USA for the former Spanish Air Force F1M fighter jets recently acquired by Draken International
(Credit: Draken International Facebook Page)

Draken International started On March 2018, Draken signed an agreement with Paramount Aerospace Systems, a subsidiary of Paramount Group, for the overhaul and ongoing engineering support of their fleet of Mirage F1M aircraft acquired from the Spanish Air Force.

Draken acquired 22 Mirage F1M and F1B fighter jets in an effort to enhance adversary services for its US Department of Defense and allied nation customers. The Mirage F1Ms were predominantly flown by the Spanish Air Force and received a full radar and avionics suite modernization in the late 1990s. This acquisition along with the most recent purchase of twelve supersonic radar equipped South African Denel Cheetah fighter jets increased Draken’s fleet size to over 150 fighter aircraft.

The Mirage F1Ms are now undergoing reassembly, restoration and airworthiness certification by Paramount Aerospace Systems at Draken’s Lakeland, FL maintenance facility.  Paramount Aerospace specializes in the modernization of fixed wing platforms including leading the previous modernization of the Mirage F1M while still in Spanish Air Force military service.  Paramount possesses extensive capabilities on the Mirage F1 with full airframe and engine overhaul capability, as well as the ability to upgrade and modernize avionics and mission systems.   

Paramount Group acquired the entire South African Mirage F1 fleet, along with spares, simulators, training aids and other related material. The Mirage F1 represents an ideal solution for low cost Super Sonic Fighter capability, and Paramount offers a complete air-power package, with full training and technical support for the aircraft. Paramount also operates a fighter aircraft pilot training Academy in South Africa, the only one of its kind on the African continent.