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The first contingent of Mirage 2000 fighter jets, previously pledged by French President Emmanuel Macron, landed in Ukraine on Thursday, accompanied by their newly trained Ukrainian pilots.
The delivery marks another significant addition to Ukraine’s arsenal of advanced Western-made fighter aircraft, though the exact number delivered remains undisclosed. Sébastien Lecornu, France’s armed forces minister, confirmed the arrival via social media, noting that Ukrainian pilots who had undergone months of training in France were at the controls of the French-designed aircraft, which serve as a European counterpart to America’s F-16.
Lecornu emphasized that these aircraft would now contribute to Ukraine’s air defense capabilities.
French Mirage fighter jets land in Ukraine https://t.co/iHocnQbXMD#news #BREAKING #ukrainewar #eu #USA #NATO
— Drüberflieger (@WolfgangKoehle4) February 6, 2025
According to France24, the delivered aircraft are Mirage-2000-5 variants, which underwent substantial upgrades in the 1990s. These improvements included enhanced sensors, modernized electronics, advanced avionics, and updated cockpit systems to boost combat effectiveness. Additional modifications were implemented to counter Russian electronic warfare tactics, incorporating lessons learned from the ongoing conflict.
The commitment to provide these aircraft was initially announced by Macron in June 2024. France had planned to transfer six of its remaining 26 Mirage 2000-5 fighters, which were being phased out as the French Air Force transitions to the more advanced Dassault Rafale. However, citing security considerations, French officials have not revealed the specific number of aircraft delivered in this initial batch.
Ukraine’s rapid mastery of the Mirage system presents a stark contrast to British reservations about providing fighter jets. The UK had previously dismissed the idea of supplying their aircraft, claiming it would take five years to properly train Ukrainian pilots. Instead, Britain joined other nations, including Belgium, Denmark, the Netherlands, and Norway, in supporting the provision of F-16s to Ukraine.
Previous reports regarding F-16 deliveries to Ukraine indicated careful management by the United States to ensure only European-manufactured versions of the aircraft, produced under license in the 1990s, would be deployed. Currently, Ukraine is believed to operate approximately 20 such F-16s.
