France to announce the doubling of Mirage 2000-5F fighter jets to be delivered to Ukraine
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On August 16, 2025, in an interview with Le Monde, former Ukrainian foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba revealed that France intends to provide Ukraine with twenty Mirage 2000-5F fighter jets instead of the ten previously announced. The statement was made in the broader context of the meeting between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska, which Kuleba described as producing uncertainty rather than clarity for Kyiv and its allies.Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this link
France originally operated 28 Mirage 2000-5Fs with squadrons 1/2 Cigognes and 3/11 Corse, but their transfer to Ukraine increased reliance on Rafale and Mirage 2000D aircraft while also accelerating the planned delivery of Rafale F4s. (Picture source: NATO Air Command/Arnaud Chamberlin)
Kuleba argued that the talks gave Putin symbolic gains, since the Russian leader could present himself as negotiating directly with Washington, while no binding agreement was reached. According to Kuleba, the absence of a signed deal was the only positive outcome, as it prevented any settlement that would undermine Ukraine or Europe. He emphasized that any potential ceasefire would benefit Russia more than Ukraine, because Moscow is better positioned to use a pause to rearm and consolidate. Kuleba explained that Ukraine and its European partners had engaged extensively with Trump in recent months, managing to secure his assurances that arms deliveries would continue and that US Patriot missile systems would not be withheld. However, he warned that the effort to turn Trump’s discontent with Russia into concrete action against Moscow had so far failed.
He described how European leaders, including French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, had coordinated closely to influence Trump, and although the US leader began speaking more harshly toward Moscow, this did not translate into decisive measures. Kuleba noted that Russia continued its bombardment of Ukrainian cities with missiles and drones, even though Putin refrained from large-scale strikes on Kyiv, aware of Trump’s negative reaction when the capital was heavily targeted. He concluded that only coordinated strategic production and acquisition of arms by Ukraine and Europe would improve Kyiv’s position.
The Mirage 2000-5F has been at the center of France’s contribution to Ukraine’s air defense. France’s initial pledge was announced by Macron on June 6, 2024, when he said Paris would supply Mirage 2000-5Fs and train 4,500 Ukrainian pilots. In October 2024, Defense Minister Sébastien Lecornu confirmed that six aircraft would be transferred, each modified at Cazaux for air-to-ground missions with AASM guided bombs and SCALP-EG cruise missiles, in addition to electronic warfare equipment. Pilot and mechanic training took place at Nancy Air Base with seven Mirage 2000B trainers. The first three Mirage 2000-5Fs were delivered to Ukraine in early 2025, with the remaining aircraft arriving by the end of the first quarter. France originally fielded 28 Mirage 2000-5Fs assigned to squadrons Cigognes and Corse, and reallocating some of them to Ukraine required adjustments in French air force operations and accelerated deliveries of Rafale F4s to compensate. Macron also suggested in early 2025 that other Mirage operators could contribute, but options were limited due to political or operational constraints.
Ukraine’s combat use of the Mirage 2000-5F was first confirmed on March 7, 2025, when the aircraft participated in intercepting a Russian combined missile and drone strike. During the engagement, Ukrainian radar tracked 261 airborne threats, consisting of 67 missiles and 194 drones, including Kh-101, Kalibr, and Iskander-M missiles, along with Shahed UAVs. Ukrainian defenses destroyed 134 targets, among them 25 Kh-101/Kh-55SM cruise missiles, eight Kalibrs, one Kh-59/69, and 100 Shahed drones. The Mirage 2000-5F was involved in coordination with F-16s and ground-based systems, reportedly shooting down a Kh-101 cruise missile with a MICA air-to-air missile. A few days earlier, on March 3, a video circulating on the Telegram channel Sunflower had shown a Mirage 2000-5F in Ukrainian airspace, marking the first visual confirmation of its deployment. These engagements demonstrated the integration of French-supplied aircraft into Ukraine’s layered air defense network against mass attacks.
The Mirage 2000-5F itself is a French delta-wing, single-engine multirole fighter originally designed as an air superiority aircraft but upgraded for diverse missions. It is powered by an SNECMA M53-P2 engine, has a maximum speed of Mach 2.2, and operates at altitudes up to 15,240 meters. With a unit cost of approximately €20 million, the aircraft is fitted with the Thales RDY radar system capable of multi-target tracking, MICA missiles for both infrared and electromagnetic guidance, and electronic warfare systems including SERVAL, SABRE, and SPIRALE for survivability. For Ukraine, the Mirage 2000-5Fs were additionally integrated with SCALP-EG cruise missiles with a range of up to 250 kilometers and AASM Hammer guided bombs, expanding their strike role. The cockpit features HOTAS controls and digital displays, while fuel capacity reaches 3.1 tons internally and 4.2 tons externally. France’s original fleet of Mirage 2000-5Fs had been used in NATO missions, air policing, and operations in the Middle East before being reassigned to Kyiv.
Operationally, these fighters have played a complementary role to both Western and Soviet-era aircraft in Ukrainian service. They fill the gap between MiG-29s and Su-27s, which are aging platforms, and the newer F-16s being integrated into the Ukrainian Air Force. Their avionics, agility, and missile systems allow them to counter drones and cruise missiles, while long-range strike options enable attacks on Russian logistical hubs. Their combat use in Ukraine mirrors earlier employment by French forces in March 2024, when Mirage 2000-5Fs operating with the FREMM frigate Alsace intercepted Houthis-operated Shahed 136 drones in the Red Sea during EU Operation Aspides, marking the first confirmed aerial kills by French pilots since the Second World War. That precedent showed the aircraft’s suitability for countering loitering munitions identical to those employed by Russia against Ukraine. The ongoing commitment to double the number of Mirage jets supplied underscores France’s intent to reinforce Kyiv despite the strain on its own air fleet.
Kuleba’s remarks placed France’s decision in the larger strategic picture. He stressed that Russia’s war economy and political system allow it to withstand prolonged fighting, whereas Europe faces internal pressures that can weaken resolve over time. A ceasefire would only give Moscow space to rearm and regroup, while Europe might face mounting hesitation about continuing deliveries. Kuleba concluded that only consistent, coordinated action by Ukraine and its allies, including the acquisition and production of advanced weapons like the Mirage 2000-5F, can gradually balance Russia’s advantage. France’s move to double the number of Mirage aircraft supplied to Ukraine, therefore, fits into a pattern of long-term support, reflecting the necessity of sustained international assistance to maintain Ukraine’s defensive and offensive capabilities as the war continues.
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On August 16, 2025, in an interview with Le Monde, former Ukrainian foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba revealed that France intends to provide Ukraine with twenty Mirage 2000-5F fighter jets instead of the ten previously announced. The statement was made in the broader context of the meeting between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska, which Kuleba described as producing uncertainty rather than clarity for Kyiv and its allies.
Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this link
France originally operated 28 Mirage 2000-5Fs with squadrons 1/2 Cigognes and 3/11 Corse, but their transfer to Ukraine increased reliance on Rafale and Mirage 2000D aircraft while also accelerating the planned delivery of Rafale F4s. (Picture source: NATO Air Command/Arnaud Chamberlin)
Kuleba argued that the talks gave Putin symbolic gains, since the Russian leader could present himself as negotiating directly with Washington, while no binding agreement was reached. According to Kuleba, the absence of a signed deal was the only positive outcome, as it prevented any settlement that would undermine Ukraine or Europe. He emphasized that any potential ceasefire would benefit Russia more than Ukraine, because Moscow is better positioned to use a pause to rearm and consolidate. Kuleba explained that Ukraine and its European partners had engaged extensively with Trump in recent months, managing to secure his assurances that arms deliveries would continue and that US Patriot missile systems would not be withheld. However, he warned that the effort to turn Trump’s discontent with Russia into concrete action against Moscow had so far failed.
He described how European leaders, including French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, had coordinated closely to influence Trump, and although the US leader began speaking more harshly toward Moscow, this did not translate into decisive measures. Kuleba noted that Russia continued its bombardment of Ukrainian cities with missiles and drones, even though Putin refrained from large-scale strikes on Kyiv, aware of Trump’s negative reaction when the capital was heavily targeted. He concluded that only coordinated strategic production and acquisition of arms by Ukraine and Europe would improve Kyiv’s position.
The Mirage 2000-5F has been at the center of France’s contribution to Ukraine’s air defense. France’s initial pledge was announced by Macron on June 6, 2024, when he said Paris would supply Mirage 2000-5Fs and train 4,500 Ukrainian pilots. In October 2024, Defense Minister Sébastien Lecornu confirmed that six aircraft would be transferred, each modified at Cazaux for air-to-ground missions with AASM guided bombs and SCALP-EG cruise missiles, in addition to electronic warfare equipment. Pilot and mechanic training took place at Nancy Air Base with seven Mirage 2000B trainers. The first three Mirage 2000-5Fs were delivered to Ukraine in early 2025, with the remaining aircraft arriving by the end of the first quarter. France originally fielded 28 Mirage 2000-5Fs assigned to squadrons Cigognes and Corse, and reallocating some of them to Ukraine required adjustments in French air force operations and accelerated deliveries of Rafale F4s to compensate. Macron also suggested in early 2025 that other Mirage operators could contribute, but options were limited due to political or operational constraints.
Ukraine’s combat use of the Mirage 2000-5F was first confirmed on March 7, 2025, when the aircraft participated in intercepting a Russian combined missile and drone strike. During the engagement, Ukrainian radar tracked 261 airborne threats, consisting of 67 missiles and 194 drones, including Kh-101, Kalibr, and Iskander-M missiles, along with Shahed UAVs. Ukrainian defenses destroyed 134 targets, among them 25 Kh-101/Kh-55SM cruise missiles, eight Kalibrs, one Kh-59/69, and 100 Shahed drones. The Mirage 2000-5F was involved in coordination with F-16s and ground-based systems, reportedly shooting down a Kh-101 cruise missile with a MICA air-to-air missile. A few days earlier, on March 3, a video circulating on the Telegram channel Sunflower had shown a Mirage 2000-5F in Ukrainian airspace, marking the first visual confirmation of its deployment. These engagements demonstrated the integration of French-supplied aircraft into Ukraine’s layered air defense network against mass attacks.
The Mirage 2000-5F itself is a French delta-wing, single-engine multirole fighter originally designed as an air superiority aircraft but upgraded for diverse missions. It is powered by an SNECMA M53-P2 engine, has a maximum speed of Mach 2.2, and operates at altitudes up to 15,240 meters. With a unit cost of approximately €20 million, the aircraft is fitted with the Thales RDY radar system capable of multi-target tracking, MICA missiles for both infrared and electromagnetic guidance, and electronic warfare systems including SERVAL, SABRE, and SPIRALE for survivability. For Ukraine, the Mirage 2000-5Fs were additionally integrated with SCALP-EG cruise missiles with a range of up to 250 kilometers and AASM Hammer guided bombs, expanding their strike role. The cockpit features HOTAS controls and digital displays, while fuel capacity reaches 3.1 tons internally and 4.2 tons externally. France’s original fleet of Mirage 2000-5Fs had been used in NATO missions, air policing, and operations in the Middle East before being reassigned to Kyiv.
Operationally, these fighters have played a complementary role to both Western and Soviet-era aircraft in Ukrainian service. They fill the gap between MiG-29s and Su-27s, which are aging platforms, and the newer F-16s being integrated into the Ukrainian Air Force. Their avionics, agility, and missile systems allow them to counter drones and cruise missiles, while long-range strike options enable attacks on Russian logistical hubs. Their combat use in Ukraine mirrors earlier employment by French forces in March 2024, when Mirage 2000-5Fs operating with the FREMM frigate Alsace intercepted Houthis-operated Shahed 136 drones in the Red Sea during EU Operation Aspides, marking the first confirmed aerial kills by French pilots since the Second World War. That precedent showed the aircraft’s suitability for countering loitering munitions identical to those employed by Russia against Ukraine. The ongoing commitment to double the number of Mirage jets supplied underscores France’s intent to reinforce Kyiv despite the strain on its own air fleet.
Kuleba’s remarks placed France’s decision in the larger strategic picture. He stressed that Russia’s war economy and political system allow it to withstand prolonged fighting, whereas Europe faces internal pressures that can weaken resolve over time. A ceasefire would only give Moscow space to rearm and regroup, while Europe might face mounting hesitation about continuing deliveries. Kuleba concluded that only consistent, coordinated action by Ukraine and its allies, including the acquisition and production of advanced weapons like the Mirage 2000-5F, can gradually balance Russia’s advantage. France’s move to double the number of Mirage aircraft supplied to Ukraine, therefore, fits into a pattern of long-term support, reflecting the necessity of sustained international assistance to maintain Ukraine’s defensive and offensive capabilities as the war continues.
