A deeply rebuilt Mirage III combat-aircraft family with major structural renewal, aerodynamic changes, new avionics, and new weapon-system integration for South African service.
Development
Atlas Cheetah was developed by Atlas Aircraft Corporation in South Africa as a multirole fighter. The family first flew in 1986 and entered service in 1986. Its recorded airframe configuration is fixed wing, with the family classified in the archive as core combat-aircraft scope.
Operational History
Operationally, Atlas Cheetah is represented primarily in the multirole fighter role. The sourced variant records include service with South African Air Force. The current structured record does not attach a specific conflict authority to this family; operational context remains limited to sourced service and role data. Role tags attached to the family include air superiority and battlefield interdiction.
Variants and Lineage
Major variants represented in the structured record include Cheetah E, Cheetah D, and Cheetah C. Recorded lineage links identify the family as derived from Dassault Mirage III.
Variants
| Designation | Type | Role | Recorded operators |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cheetah C | Production | Multirole Fighter | South African Air Force |
| Cheetah D | Production | Strike Fighter | South African Air Force |
| Cheetah E | Production | Multirole Fighter | South African Air Force |
Representative specifications
Configuration-specific profiles are shown separately so values from different variants are not blended into one false “standard” aircraft.
Cheetah E — C017 baseline technical profile
- Crew
- 1
Powerplant: 1 × SNECMA Atar 9K-50 turbojet
Armament: Twin 30 mm cannon with air-to-air missiles, bombs, and guided strike stores by variant.
Sources and further reading
Structured references supporting this aircraft family, variants, specifications, and narrative sections.
- Cheetah D — South African Air Force · Tier 1
- Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1986-87 — Jane’s Yearbooks · Tier 3
- Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1992-93 — Jane's Information Group · Tier 3