The first Mirage III prototype flew on 17 November 1956. The first RAAF aircraft, numbered A3-1, flew at Bordeaux on 14 March 1963 and was handed over to the RAAF at Villaroche, near Paris, on 9 April. A3-1 was disassembled and flown to Australia by Hercules, the second French-built aircraft, A3-2, remained in France until August 1965 to test the various RAAF modifications. Meanwhile, two further aircraft were shipped to Australia as fully-equipped major assemblies and completed at Avalon by the Government Aircraft Factories (GAF).

The first two-seater Mirage IIID, A3-101, flew on 6 October 1966 and was accepted by the RAAF at Avalon on 10 November, followed by a further nine over the next year. The trainer version had a second cockpit behind the first and did not have the Cyrano II nose radar, instead the avionics equipment previously stored behind the cockpit was relocated in the nose.

A3-3 (on display at Fighter World) was the first Mirage IIIO fighter assembled in Australia. It was flown by Squadron Leader (later Air Vice Marshal) Bill Collings at Avalon on 16 November 1963 and delivered to the Air Force on 20th December 1963. It served with the Aircraft Research and Development Unit, No 76 Sqn RAAF Williamtown, 2OCU RAAF Williamtown and 77 Sqn RAAF Williamtown. The aircraft logged 3580 flying hours before being withdrawn from service on 31st March 1987.

Mirage IIID A3-102 was delivered the RAAF in November, 1966. It served with 2OCU and 77 Squadron RAAF Williamtown.

In 1990 Pakistan purchased fifty RAAF Mirages, including two which had been stored at Point Cook.