The Mirage 5BA aircraft were procured by Belgium in the late 1960s to replace the outdated (R)F-84Fs, which were serving primarily as fighter-bombers in the Belgian Air Force. The Mirage was selected from a range of options, including the F-5A, A-4E, and Draken. Belgium became the largest user of the Mirage 5 in history, with over 100 of the type in its inventory.