The Mirage III is a supersonic fighter aircraft designed in France by Dassault Aviation during the 1950s, and manufactured both in France and a number of other countries. It was one of the most successful fighter aircraft ever made, being sold to many air forces around the world and remaining in production for over a decade. Some of the world's smaller air forces still fly Mirage IIIs or variants as front-line equipment today, including Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Egypt, Gabon, Libya, Pakistan, Peru, United Arab Emirates and Venezuela.