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10/31/2007. On August 29, 1961, Dassault Aviation and Sud-Aviation received an order from the DTIA (Direction Technique et Industrielle de l'Aéronautique, Directorate of Aviation Technique and Industry) to conjointly design and built produce two vertical take-off fighter prototypes. The Mach 2 Mirage III V had eight 3,525 lb (1,600 kg) Rolls-Royce RB162-1 lift jets and a 13,890 lb (6,300 kg) st SNECMA TF104 turbofan. Piloted by René Bigand the first hovering trail was made at Melun-Villaroche on February 12, 1965. In December the TF104 engine was replaced by a 16,755 lb (7,600 kg) st TF106 turbofan with reheat, and piloted by Jean-Marie Saget the aircraft made its first transition from hover to horizontal flight on March 24, 1966. The second prototype, powered by a 18,519 lb (8,400 kg) st Pratt & Whitney TF30 turbofan with reheat, was flown by Jean-Marie Saget on June 22, 1966. It achieved Mach 2.03 (1,505 mph, 2,422 kmh) in level flight on its eleventh test flight, but was destroyed in a crash at Istres on November 28, 1966; the pilot was killed. The program was subsequently scrapped.