In the context of an interview with the French newspaper Le Monde, former Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba stated that France is preparing the transfer of an additional number of Mirage 2000-5 fighters to the Ukrainian Air Force, which would bring the total number of aircraft to 20. Should this development ultimately materialize, it would be a decision that doubles the number of aircraft originally pledged by Paris and would confirm the rumors that emerged in June after a meeting between French President Emmanuel Macron and his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky.
Expanding in detail, the former minister explained that the arrival of 10 new aircraft is very important for sustaining Ukraine’s air capabilities. It is useful to recall at this point that the French Mirage 2000-5s were originally conceived as a fighter platform but, prior to their transfer to Kyiv, undergo modifications allowing them to expand their role to strike missions and withstand various types of electronic interference deployed by Russian defenses; this work is carried out at Cazaux Air Base. Nevertheless, Kuleba maintained a realistic tone by stating that while the aid is welcome, “it will not be enough to change the course of the war.”
On the other hand, the former foreign minister detailed the number of aircraft that would be sent, although he did not specify any dates or from which squadrons these aircraft would come. From the French government’s side, there has been no official confirmation of the plans described so far, nor of any similar project, making it difficult to provide further details. However, it can be noted that Paris currently maintains only two squadrons equipped with the fighter, namely Escadron de Chasse 3/11 Corse and 1/2 Cigognes. Both are awaiting new Rafale fighters.
Beyond these considerations, it is also necessary to mention that the Mirage 2000-5s have already seen combat on the Ukrainian front, forming part of a layered air defense network that includes F-16s and various types of ground-based missile launchers donated by different Western allies. Indeed, the first loss of one of these aircraft was confirmed in July, which the Ukrainian Air Force attributed to a technical failure reported by the pilot prior to ejection; the pilot was later rescued by SAR teams.
Finally, broadening the view on France’s contribution to Ukraine’s air capabilities, it should be noted that this is not limited to the transfer of aircraft but also extends to the continuous training of pilots. As reported in September of last year at the graduation of the first cohort of personnel, Paris provides its Alphajet trainer aircraft for Ukrainian pilots to take their first steps in jet aviation, something that has been carried out even before the delivery of Mirage fighters was finalized. This stage is of great importance, as it enables the transition from a basic training platform, such as the UK’s GROB-115 (where Ukrainian pilots begin their training), to frontline combat platforms such as the aforementioned F-16s.
*Images used for illustrative purposes
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