Further refinement of the Mystère series of fighters resulted in the Dassault Mystère IV. Although similar in appearance to its predecessor, it was considerably redesigned incorporating features like a lengthened fuselage, fully powered controls, and tapared sheet wing skins, the first used on a European aircraft. Unlike the Mystère II, this new aircraft reverted to using locally produced Rolls-Royce Tay engines due to the unavailability of an afterburning Atar powerplant. The Mystère IV was successfuly evaluated by the USAF and ordered for the Armée de l'Air as part of the US government's Off-Shore Procurement Scheme for NATO members; these were complemented by further French orders as well as export purchases by India and Israel. It ended up seeing extensive combat by all three nations: by France during the 1956 Suez Crisis, by Israel during the Six Day War, and by India in its two wars against Pakistan before being phased out worldwide during the early 1970s.

First flight of the prototype MD.454 Mystère IV took place on 28 September 1952 entering service three years later as the Mystère IVA which accounted for the bulk of production. Other variants included the improved Mystère IVB plus the Mystère IVN night-fighter and all-weather interceptor but both were discontinued in favor of the Super Mystère and the Vautour respectively.