Taiwan eyes Rafale as Mirage 2000 fleet nears retirement, says Dassault CEO

Eric Trappier, Chairman and CEO of Dassault Aviation, has confirmed that Taiwan is showing clear interest in acquiring the Rafale fighter jet as its fleet of Mirage 2000s nears the end of its operational life. However, he emphasized that any such sale would be a political decision for the French government rather than the manufacturer. 

Taiwan procured the Mirage 2000-5s from France in the 1990s. Accidents over time have reduced the initial fleet of 60 aircraft to the current count of 54. 

The Republic of China Air Force (ROCAF) has been investing in its 2000-5 fighters to keep them operational. In 2024, Taipei allocated about $340 million for contracts with Safran and MBDA to supply spare parts for engines and air-to-air missiles. The government also set aside $4.8 million for a Dassault study on whether twin-seat Mirage airframes could remain in service for up to 20 more years. 

Taiwan’s Mirage 2000 fleet reaching its limits 

During a hearing at the French National Assembly’s Economic Affairs Committee, Trappier was asked about the challenges Taiwan faces in maintaining its Mirage 2000 fighters. 

Marie-Noël Batista, Member of Parliament and head of the France-Taiwan friendship group, raised concerns she had heard during a recent visit to Taipei. She noted that spare parts for the Mirage fleet can take up to two years to arrive and asked whether this delay was linked to technical challenges or to political constraints. 

In response, Trappier acknowledged that sustaining Mirage 2000 fleets is becoming increasingly difficult as production winds down and operators worldwide transition to newer platforms. 

“The Mirage 2000 is at the end of its life. It still flies a little in France, but it will stop,” Trappier told lawmakers. “The dynamic of spare parts and repairs is decreasing, but we continue to support Taiwan very well. It is a bit harder than before, but we are doing it.” 

French President Emmanuel Macron said that the next Military Planning Law for the period 2024-2030 would see the French Air and Space Force’s fighter fleet transition to “all Rafale,” indicating that the Mirage 2000 would be fully phased out. 

A potential Rafale transition 

Trappier also pointed out that Taiwan’s situation mirrors a broader pattern among Dassault’s export customers, which are progressively moving from the Mirage 2000 to the Rafale. 

“Everybody has said that the future would be the Rafale,” Trappier said. “That is true for all our export clients who are moving from the Mirage 2000 to the Rafale. And you know very well what the Taiwanese want. What they want is Rafale.” 

The Dassault CEO made it clear, however, that whether France approves such a sale is outside the company’s remit.  

“That does not depend on me, and I do not say whether it is right or wrong to sell to Taiwan. That is not my responsibility, it is that of the state,” Trappier told the committee. 

Diplomatic implications 

Any prospect of Taiwan acquiring the Rafale would almost certainly provoke a strong reaction from Beijing. In July 2025, an Associated Press investigation revealed that China had already launched a coordinated campaign to discredit the French fighter following the May 2025 India-Pakistan clash. 

According to defense officials and intelligence sources, Beijing used diplomatic channels and online media to question the Rafale’s performance while promoting Chinese alternatives. Fabricated material, including AI-generated images and video-game footage, was circulated on social platforms, amplified by newly created accounts to portray the Rafale as vulnerable compared to the J-10 and long-range PL-15 missile. Chinese defense attachés in Asia also lobbied operators and potential customers against the aircraft. 

These efforts did not dissuade India, whose air force reaffirmed confidence in the Rafale and pushed for the procurement of 114 more Rafale jets. However, Dassault CEO Éric Trappier acknowledged at the time that such disinformation can “bother us in prospecting campaigns,” even if established operators recognize the claims as fake. 

If Taiwan’s reported interest in the Rafale proves genuine, similar tactics can be expected. The post Taiwan eyes Rafale as Mirage 2000 fleet nears retirement, says Dassault CEO appeared first on AeroTime.

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