France sends fewer Mirage fighters to Ukraine than expected
According to the portal Opex360, France will only provide Ukraine with six Mirage 2000-5F fighters. Ukrainian media note that this number is smaller than that of earlier unofficial reports, which suggested Paris was preparing up to 20 such aircraft for Kyiv.
5:21 PM EST, November 12, 2024
"Six Mirage 2000-5F for the Armed Forces of Ukraine with a full support package," said French parliament member Franck Giletti, as quoted by Opex360. He added that the ability to deliver such aircraft to Ukraine is limited, primarily due to the pace of new Dassault Rafale fighter deliveries needed to supplement the French military's arsenal.
Mirage 2000-5F for Ukraine
The Mirage 2000-5F will be the latest Western fighters to bolster the Ukrainian military. They will join the F-16s, whose deliveries began in August and are expected to continue in the coming months. The Mirage 2000-5F, a 1991 model, represents one of the most significant upgrades of the Mirage 2000—a multirole fighter measuring over 49 feet in length and 30 feet in wingspan. The Mirage 2000-5F features a modernized cockpit and improved weapons systems.
These fighters are adapted for the French-British SCALP-EG/Storm Shadow cruise missiles, which have been reaching the front lines for some time. According to French assurances, such transfers will continue soon. These cruise missiles, capable of striking targets several hundred miles away, have warheads weighing approximately 992 pounds.
Ukrainians expected more
The Ukrainian agency Unian notes that this isn't the first time a different number has been mentioned regarding French fighters for Ukraine. Reports from October suggested that "up to 20 Mirage 2000 aircraft" would be transferred to Ukraine. Later, experts, including analysts from Defence Express, concluded that realistically, no more than 12 such aircraft could be sent to Kyiv.
According to analysts and now also Franck Giletti, the issue isn't French unwillingness but the overall condition of their combat air force. Although France is one of NATO's major powers, there is an increasing need to strengthen its combat aviation. Reports as of December 31, 2023, indicate the French air force had only 27 Mirage 2000-5F aircraft in service, many of which are actively used. Given the pace of new Dassault Rafale deliveries, some Mirage 2000-5F will remain in service in France until 2029.
