The first variable-sweep aircraft from Dassault emerged as the single-engine, two-seat Mirage G fighter in 1967. The Mirage G was developed into a twin-engine, two-seat nuclear strike fighter, the Mirage G4. When under construction the requirements changed and the French military requested that the design be converted into a dedicated interceptor, This first flew in May 1971 and the second aircraft, the single-seat G8-02 first flying over a year later. However, As no funding was included for the type in the 1971-1976 French defence budget it did not enter production.

Heavily corroded after a long time stored out in the open