Ukraine's air force upgrade: Mirage 2000 jets incoming

In the first quarter of 2025, Ukraine will receive not only more F-16 aircraft but also the advanced Mirage 2000 jets. French Defense Minister Sébastien Lecornu confirmed that these jets will be equipped with new air-to-air and air-to-ground weapons. We explore the performance of these aircraft and discuss what they might be equipped with.

Information about France transferring Mirage 2000 aircraft to Ukraine has circulated since 2023, but the French Ministry of Defense has only now confirmed the deliveries. The aircraft, like the F-16A/B MLU being delivered, are expected to undergo modifications to enhance their capabilities against modern Russian aircraft.

Initially, Ukraine was expected to receive the 2000-5 version in the D variant, a model developed in the 1990s. Notably, this variant was once offered to Poland as part of the "deal of the century," a deal eventually won by the F-16.

The Mirage 2000 features a tailless design with delta wings, following the traditional design trend of the Dassault company. The aircraft has been adopted by several countries, including Brazil, Egypt, Greece, India, Qatar, Peru, Taiwan, and the United Arab Emirates, where it still serves in some cases.

The Mirage 2000 is a two-seater aircraft capable of supersonic flight at high altitudes, similar to the Panavia Tornado. This capability is intended to enhance safety during operations in regions with active enemy air defenses. The aircraft is equipped with two DEFA 554 cannons of 30 mm caliber and nine pylons, allowing it to carry just over 7 tons (15,000 lbs) of weaponry.

Additional armaments may include SCALP-EG cruise missiles, the French counterpart to the Storm Shadow, guided bombs from the GBU family which compete with JDAM, AM-39 Exocet anti-ship missiles, and laser-guided anti-tank AS-30L missiles.

The modifications mentioned by Sébastien Lecornu might involve upgrading the aircraft to the latest export standards, such as the Mirage 2000-9 or Mirage 2000-5 Mk.2. This would include a new electronic warfare system and potentially the use of an RDY-2 radar or integration with new MICA air-to-air missiles, which have a range of up to 50 miles.

Additionally, there is the potential for integrating the Mirage aircraft for Ukraine with AASM Hammer guided bombs, which enable strikes on targets up to 9 miles away when dropped from low altitudes. A rocket booster provides additional propulsion to the glided bomb, making this capability possible. Currently, Ukraine successfully uses these bombs on home-modified MiG-29 aircraft.

The second option involves integrating the Mirage 2000-5 with the MBDA Meteor very long-range air-to-air missile, capable of targeting distances up to 124 miles. India has been interested in this capability for their Mirage 2000 aircraft in recent years. This option was previously deemed too complex and uneconomical by the French, but perhaps there has been a change in perspective.