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The switch from Canberra to F111 was a long process which required a 3 year lease of 24 F4Es to cover the capability gap, keeping 1 squadron of Canberras active until 1982 and finally drawing down to 2 squadrons of F111 instead of 3 of Canberras. At the same time the RAAF lost 19 Mirage fighters in crashes up to 1973 when the Phantoms were handed back (minis 1 which we crashed).
So WI we negotiated to keep the 23 Phantoms both to cover Mirage losses and get rid of the Canberras?