Along with Nos. 75 and 76 Squadrons, also based at Williamtown, No. 2 OCU was under the control of No. 81 Wing from 1961 until the wing was disbanded in 1966. By late 1963, personnel were busy developing training material for the pending Sabre replacement, the Dassault Mirage III, a task that required them to translate the manufacturer's technical documentation from the original French. No. 2 OCU received its first Mirages in February and March 1964. It commenced conversion courses on the type that October, and fighter combat instructor courses in August 1968. The RAAF eventually took delivery of 100 Mirage IIIO single-seat fighters and 16 Mirage IIID two-seat trainers; No. 2 OCU operated both models. Squadron Leader John Newham, later to serve as CAS, held temporary command of the unit from July 1965 to April 1966. A Sabre-equipped aerobatic display team named the "Marksmen" was formed within No. 2 OCU during 1966 and 1967. Between 1967 and 1984, six of the unit's Mirages suffered major accidents, resulting in three fatalities. Experience in the Vietnam War led the RAAF to begin training Forward air controllers in 1968. The task initially fell to No. 2 OCU before a specialised unit, No. 4 Forward Air Control Flight, was formed in 1970. In October 1969, the OCU began operating the Macchi MB-326 jet for lead-in fighter training, as well as the Mirage. No. 5 Operational Training Unit, based at Williamtown, took over responsibility for Macchi courses from April 1970 until its disbandment in July the following year; the Macchis were then transferred back to No. 2 OCU.