French Mirage jets boost Ukraine, but F‑16 still superior
French authorities have confirmed that Ukraine will be able to use the first Mirage 2000-5F jets within this quarter. Oleg Katkov, a military expert and editor-in-chief of the Defence Express portal, believes that while the French aircraft will be very helpful, they will not be utilized to shoot down Russian planes. Moreover, according to the expert, in some aspects the Mirage 2000-5F falls short of the F-16 fighters.
In an interview with a Ukrainian online television channel, Oleg Katkov stated that both Mirage and F-16 fighters will be capable of shooting down Russian cruise missiles and drones to a similar extent. However, many differences in their construction and equipment mean that one should not expect the same effectiveness in all air battles with Russian forces.
Are Mirage 2000-5F worse than F-16?
"It won't be the same effectiveness if we're talking directly about air battles. The F-16 can be used to destroy targets with AIM-120 AMRAAM missiles, which have a range of 68-99 miles. This gives it a much greater chance of countering Russian aviation and pushing it back from the front lines. It's not that the Mirage can't perform this task, but it's unlikely. It uses air-to-air missiles with a maximum range of up to 50 miles," said Oleg Katkov.
The Mirage is a multi-role, single-engine fighter developed by Dassault Aviation. It measures over 49 feet in length and can operate at altitudes up to 62,000 feet. Ukraine will receive variants of the Mirage 2000-5F, one of the most significant upgrades of this aircraft. Additionally, the French will ensure compatibility with a broader range of armaments to make the Mirage 2000-5F more useful for the Ukrainian army.
Fighters carrying aerial bombs
This likely involves, among others, French AASM glide bombs, which Ukrainians are already familiar with, and Mica air-to-air missiles. The French fighters are also equipped to carry long-range SCALP-EG/Storm Shadow cruise missiles. Oleg Katkov believes that both Western fighters will have similar effectiveness when it comes to striking with high-precision weapons, especially aerial bombs.
"The F-16 can use SDB or JDAM. With the Mirage, considering its modernization, it will be possible to use the AASM Hammer, also a precision long-range bomb. Regarding long-range cruise missile strikes, the Mirage will be able to launch the Storm Shadow. Although the F-16 has the capability to launch JASSM missiles, the issue is that they have not been provided to Ukraine," explained the analyst.
