France scales down mirage delivery to Ukraine amidst demand
According to the portal Opex360, France will supply Ukraine with only six Mirage 2000-5F fighters. Ukrainian media have noted that this is fewer than the unofficial reports from a few weeks ago that claimed that Paris was preparing up to 20 such aircraft for Kyiv.
"Six Mirage 2000-5F for the Armed Forces of Ukraine with a full support package," stated French Parliament member Franck Gilletti, as quoted by Opex360. He added that the ability to deliver such aeroplanes to Ukraine is greatly limited, primarily due to the delivery pace of new Dassault Rafale fighters that would supplement the French army's equipment.
Mirage 2000-5F for Ukraine
The Mirage 2000-5F will be the latest Western fighter jets to bolster the Ukrainian military. They will join the F-16s, whose deliveries began in August and are expected to continue in the coming months. The Mirage 2000-5F is a model from 1991, one of the most significant upgrades of the Mirage 2000—a multirole fighter measuring over 15 metres in length and 9 metres in wingspan. The Mirage 2000-5F features a modernised cockpit and improved weapons systems.
These fighters are adapted for the French-British SCALP-EG/Storm Shadow cruise missiles, which have been reaching the front lines for some time. According to the French side's assurances, such transfers will continue in the near future. These cruise missiles are capable of striking targets located several hundred kilometres away and are equipped with warheads weighing approximately 450 kilograms.
Ukrainians expected more
The Ukrainian agency Unian notes that this is not the first time a different number has been mentioned regarding French fighters for Ukraine. Reports from October are cited, suggesting that "up to 20 Mirage 2000 aircraft" would be transferred to Ukraine. Later, experts (including analysts from Defence Express) concluded that realistically, no more than 12 such aircraft could be transported to Kyiv.
According to analysts and now also Franck Gilletti, the issue isn't French unwillingness, but the overall condition of their combat air force. Although France is one of NATO's major powers, there is an increasingly noticeable need to strengthen their combat aviation. As of December 31, 2023, reports indicate the French air force had only 27 Mirage 2000-5F aircraft in service, many of which are actively used. Considering the delivery pace of, among other things, new Dassault Rafale, some Mirage 2000-5F will remain in use in France until 2029.
