After the comical failure of the AFVG Anglo-French fighter-interdictor program, and the subsequent further failure of the Mirage G swing-wing prototypes, Dassault got to work on a new generation aircraft for the French Air Force. The resulting aircraft, named the Mirage 2000, took its inaugural flight in 1978. Evolving over the years through various upgrades, the "C" variant stood for "Chasseur", or "Fighter", and was the mainstay of the French Air Force for fighter-interceptor roles for many years.