France may double Mirage 2000-5 fighter jet transfer to Ukraine

Former Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba has suggested that France is preparing to expand its promised supply of Mirage 2000-5 fighter jets to Ukraine, doubling the original commitment from 10 to 20 aircraft.

The statement came during an interview with Le Monde analyzing the recent meeting between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

“France will announce that it is giving 20 Mirage [fighter jets] instead of 10,” Kuleba said. “This is very important, but it will not change the course of the war.”

In late July 2025, President Zelensky reported discussing Ukraine’s defense priorities with President Macron, which included additional pilot training and aircraft.

Paris has not confirmed the additional transfer. It remains unclear where the additional 10 Mirage 2000-5 fighters would be sourced.

The first batch, announced by President Emmanuel Macron on June 6, 2024, is being drawn from the French Air and Space Force’s Mirage 2000-5F fleet, which counted 26 aircraft at the start of 2025 according to Flight International’s World Air Forces directory.

These single-seat fighters are currently operated by two squadrons, 1/2 Cigognes and 3/11 Corse, both of which are set to transition to the Rafale in the coming years.

Expanded combat role for Ukraine

The Mirage 2000-5, developed by Dassault Aviation, is a single-engine fighter capable of flying nearly 1,000 miles (1,600 kilometers) on internal fuel, with external tanks extending its combat range.

Originally designed as an air defense platform, the Mirage 2000-5 fighters destined for Ukraine are undergoing upgrades at Cazaux Air Base to expand their strike capabilities and improve survivability against Russian air defenses and jamming.

French Defense Minister Sébastien Lecornu confirmed in late 2024 that the modifications would give the aircraft air-to-ground capabilities and enhanced electronic warfare systems.

The upgrades allow the Mirage 2000-5 to employ a range of weapons already familiar to Ukrainian forces, including:

SCALP-EG/Storm Shadow cruise missiles, long-range precision weapons already in use with Ukraine’s Su-24 fleet

MICA air-to-air missiles, providing both short- and medium-range air combat capability

AASM Hammer bombs, modular precision-guided munitions also compatible with Ukraine’s MiG-29s
Training and integration

Alongside the aircraft delivery, France has committed to training Ukrainian pilots, with conversion courses underway since mid-2024. The first cohort of Ukrainian pilots completed fighter training flying the Alpha Jet in September 2024.

Praised for their contribution to air defense, Ukraine’s Mirage 2000-5 fighters help close gaps against drones and cruise missiles. Alongside donated F-16 jets and ground-based systems such as Patriot, NASAMS, SAMP/T MAMBA, and IRIS-T already deployed to protect Ukrainian cities, they form part of a layered defense network.

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However, Kuleba argued that only “strategic, coordinated, and resolute action” by Ukraine and its allies can shift the balance over time.

“Produce more weapons, buy more weapons. Putin will keep waging wars for as long as he lives, different wars each time. For him, ruling a country at war is the easiest way to govern. It suits him perfectly,” the Ukrainian official explained.The post France may double Mirage 2000-5 fighter jet transfer to Ukraine appeared first on AeroTime.

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