Through the words of the Chief of Staff of the French Air and Space Force, General Jerome Bellanger, it was confirmed that Mirage 2000-5F and Rafale fighters shot down nearly a dozen Houthi drones over the Red Sea. This news comes almost simultaneously with the arrival of the first fighter jets sent by France to Ukraine, where they are expected to face high operational demands against frequent Russian drone attacks, including the Iranian-made Shahed systems used by rebel forces in Yemen.
In General Bellanger’s own words: “The Armed Forces of Ukraine have received the first Mirage 2000-5 fighters transferred by France. These aircraft will play a direct role in Ukraine’s defense (…) In the French Air and Space Force, both the Mirage 2000-5 and Rafale have recently demonstrated their effectiveness against Shahed-type suicide drones, which Ukrainian pilots will also have to face.”
Additionally, a video was published alongside the statement, showing one of the drone shootdowns carried out by French aircraft. The aircraft in question was identified as a Rafale fighter, based on the observable characteristics in the pilot’s display at the moment of missile deployment (initially, it was speculated to be a Mirage 2000-5). The Rafale reportedly used a MICA missile to neutralize the target at close range.
It is worth recalling that France has both types of aircraft deployed near the region, making their use against Houthi targets feasible. Specifically, the French Air and Space Force operates Rafale fighters stationed at Prince Hassan Air Base (in Jordan) and Al Dhafra (in the United Arab Emirates), which participate in missions supporting Operation Chammal against the remnants of the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria. Regarding the Mirage 2000-5 models, a detachment of these fighters is stationed in Djibouti, from where they support Operation ASPIDES.
On this point, it is important to highlight that Operation ASPIDES is the European Union’s military effort to protect the transit of civilian vessels through the Red Sea, one of the main chokepoints of global maritime trade, which has been under threat from Houthi rebels since the start of the war between Israel and the terrorist group Hamas. France is one of the main participants, with various combat missions carried out by its forces. Notably, in March, the frigate Alsace and four fighters successfully intercepted a Houthi drone attack targeting the ship; similar incidents were reported the same month, involving the use of a Panther helicopter.
Images used for illustrative purposes
You may also like: The U.S. Navy’s USS Carl Vinson will conduct exercises with the French aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle and the Japanese helicopter carrier JS Kaga in the Pacific
