Ukraine in talks with France for Mirage 2000 fighters to boost its air forces

Forbes maintains that Zelensky's admission corroborates prior reports suggesting that the Ukrainian government has expressed interest in the French Mirage 2000 fighters. However, it remains unclear which model is under consideration - 2000C or 2000D.

The Forbes website states: "Most observers are of the opinion that the Ukrainians are in favour of the Mirage 2000D, which has been optimised for ground missions by French aircraft manufacturer Dassault". Mykola Oleshchuk, commander of the Ukrainian Air Force, previously hinted: "The combat capabilities of the Su-24M bombers could potentially be enhanced with the Mirage 2000D".

For many years, the Mirage 2000 models have been the cornerstone of the French Air Force. France is gradually decommissioning them and introducing the advanced Rafale fighters as replacements. Notably, the Mirage 2000, the Swedish JAS-39 Gripen and the American F-16 were contenders in the Polish "tender of the century" for multi-task fighters for Polish aviation. The F-16 fighters ultimately won the tender.

The French military has relied on Mirage 2000 fighters since 1984, and the development of the Mirage 2000D version, a two-seater variant for performing ground attacks, took off in the mid-90s. This model was developed by modifying Mirage 2000N prototypes for conventional and nuclear strikes.

The attack Mirage 2000D can reach speeds over 1,242.74 mph (approximately 2,000 kmph) and comes equipped with the Antilope 5 radar, which enables superior situational awareness. This feature allows for ground tracking, mapping and navigation. The aircraft also incorporates the Sabre electronic warfare (EW) system and has additional flare launchers.