Mirage III CJ C-717 FAA
Last Mirage III CJ in the world to fly

Aircraft built in 1964, used intensively by the Israeli Air Force in two war campaigns (1967 and 1973, respectively) and sold to the FAA as part of a batch of 22 aircraft acquired in 1982 to replace the flight material lost during the South Atlantic Conflict. Authorized to operate by the FAA in 1985, after three years in the Río Cuarto Material Area, the C-717 was assigned to the 4th Air Brigade of El Plumerillo (Mendoza) and to Squadron 55 of the 4th Fighter Group. Between 1989 and 1990, the fleet of Mirage IIIBJ/CJ ended its service with the Force; Fortunately, the C-717 escaped the fate of its counterparts and was selected as a flight test platform for the CEASO, a unit it joined on February 2, 1990.
In early March 2003, a highly significant event took place for the Río Cuarto Materials Area. On March 3, in Hangar 3 (dedicated to the assembly and inspection of the Mirage weapons system), personnel from the Maintenance Group worked hard on the Mirage IIICJ C-717, an aircraft of great emotional value, attached to the Armament and Operational Systems Testing Center (CEASO), a unit located in the Materials Area of ​​the Research and Development Directorate of the Materials Command of the Argentine Air Force (FAA). The C-717, affected by various operational problems that kept it out of service for approximately one year and seven months, was about to be restored to flying condition, thus returning to active service. On the morning of March 4, the C-717 was removed from Hangar 3 with great enthusiasm from the technical staff, anticipating the long-awaited flight. At 11:00 a.m., the scheduled flight activity began, with the venerable Mirage IIICJ taking off at full power. Due to the length of the stoppage, the pilot underwent a thorough evaluation of the various flight systems, confirming their proper functioning and response to his needs.
The C-717 was the last Mirage IIICJ in service in any air force in the world.