French Armed Forces Minister Sébastien Lecornu announced today the delivery of the first Mirage 2000 fighter jets to Ukraine (more about these aircraft can be found in the article linked here). This comes less than a year after French President Emmanuel Macron declared plans to provide these jets to Ukraine. On his Twitter page, the Minister stated that the first fighters had arrived in Ukraine, with Ukrainian pilots, who had undergone appropriate training in France, on board.
At the end of last year, reports surfaced online about the completion of pilot and ground crew training at the Nancy airbase in France. Officials refrained from commenting on this, but the reports aligned with the timeline previously announced by Emmanuel Macron. According to him, the training took 5-6 months.
Details about the delivery, the number of aircraft, and their armament have not been disclosed. Additionally, there are currently no photos of the jets in Ukraine or with Ukrainian markings.
France first announced its readiness to provide Ukraine with some of its Mirage 2000 jets in June of last year. The country currently has 24-28 Mirage 2000-5F fighter jets in service. In November, the government confirmed that this batch would include six Mirage 2000-5F fighters along with a full support package. These jets are expected to be delivered during the first quarter of 2025.
Sébastien Lecornu stated that the aircraft intended for Ukraine would undergo several modifications. “The goal is to equip them with air-to-ground combat capabilities and enhance their electronic warfare system,” emphasized the French Minister of Armed Forces. According to local media reports, these jets will be equipped with MICA air-to-air missiles, SCALP-EG cruise missiles, AASM Hammer guided bombs, and two 30mm DEFA 554 cannons. The MICA missiles and cannons have already been used in French Mirage 2000-5F jets, while the air-to-ground weapons need to be integrated.
Details regarding the electronic warfare system on the aircraft are not yet available, although some sources suggest that it could be the ICMS Mk3 system, which is already used on Mirage 2000 fighter jets being exported. The system includes radar and infrared warning sensors, as well as countermeasure and jamming capabilities.
The delivery of the new fighter jets will undoubtedly assist Ukraine in its fight against Russian occupiers. These are multi-role fourth-generation aircraft with excellent maneuverability, modern avionics, and sensors, capable of carrying two types of weapons. The MICA missile is the primary air-to-air missile in the French Air Force’s arsenal. It is classified as a short- to medium-range missile and comes in two variants: IR (infrared) and RF (radio frequency). The RF variant features active radar homing. Its warhead weighs 12 kg, and the missile has a flight range of up to 80 km.
The SCALP-EG is the French variant of the Storm Shadow cruise missile, which has been in use in Ukraine since May 2023 (more about them can be read here). This cruise missile is designed to target well-fortified and high-value objectives from a distance that ensures safety for aircraft and their crews.
Source: theaviationist
