After the ten Dutch and Danish F-16s received in 2024 out of the approximately 80 promised in total, Ukraine should receive, in the first quarter of 2025, French Mirage 2000-F5 fighters. An announcement made by Emmanuel Macron on June 6, 2024, confirmed in October by the Minister of the Armed Forces, Sébastien Lecornu, who specified delivery in the “first quarter of 2025”.
Ukrainian pilots and mechanics were also trained in France. Former aviator in the French Navy and aeronautical consultant, Xavier Tytelman suggests that the Mirages will arrive “at the end of February, beginning of March”. “The training of Ukrainian crews and technicians has been finalized and the deployment of maintenance infrastructures has begun,” he adds on X.
The Air and Space Force had 28 of these air defense fighters in 2023, that is, specially designed and equipped for air combat against other aircraft. In service since 1999, the Mirage 2000-F5 has a radar and is armed with MICA anti-aircraft missiles as well as two 30 mm cannons. Two aircraft regularly carried out a sky police mission over the Baltic countries for the benefit of NATO.
The figure of six devices advanced
But the aircraft delivered to Ukraine are equipped with new capabilities: “air-ground combat and anti-electronic warfare defense,” explained Sébastien Lecornu. They can therefore serve as air support for ground troops. The Ukrainian Air Force will be able to equip them with Scalp cruise missiles and AASM bombs without making modifications to the carriage system as was the case for aircraft of Soviet origin like the MiG-29.
Their first mission, once there, will undoubtedly be the same as the F-16s: to protect the Ukrainian skies. With their speed and missiles, they will be able to shoot down Russian cruise missiles targeting the country’s energy facilities. One of the F-16s shot down six cruise missiles on December 13, according to the Ukrainian army.ALSO READ The “Anne of kyiv” brigade, trained in France, victim of Ukrainian commanders
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The precise number of devices sold has never been officially given. But the opinion “Preparation and employment of forces: air” from RN deputy Frank Giletti seems to spill the beans. The elected official from Var puts forward the figure of six Mirage 2000-F5s “as well as the complete support model”. A number which may seem weak and painless, but which risks degrading the capabilities of the French wings already precisely cut.
“The recent loss of two Rafale Bs and the hypotheses of transfers of Mirage 2000-5 to the FAU [forces armées ukrainiennes, NDLR] suggest, at this stage of the programming, a passage under 185 fighter planes for ten years [2026-2036] », Alarmed Frank Giletti. The transition to the “all Rafale” will only end around 2035, knowing that it takes three years to produce Dassault’s flagship.
