What You Need to Know: Starting in 2025, Ukraine will receive upgraded Dassault Mirage 2000-5 fighter jets from France, enhancing its air superiority and ground-attack capabilities amid the ongoing conflict.

-French Defense Minister Sébastien Lecornu announced that the jets will be equipped with new electronic warfare systems and modifications to carry additional air-to-ground munitions.

-Ukrainian pilots and maintenance crews have been training on these aircraft for several months to prepare for their arrival. While the exact number of jets is undisclosed, Kyiv aims for at least a squadron of twenty to make a significant impact.

-The Mirage 2000 will be the second Western fighter jet, after the F-16, to join Ukraine's Air Force.

France Enhances Ukraine's Defense with Modernized Mirage 2000 Jets

Starting in 2025, the Ukrainian Air Force will receive several upgraded Dassault Mirage 2000 fighter jets from France. 

The addition of the new fighter aircraft will vastly increase the air superiority and ground attack capabilities of the Ukrainian Air Force and could tip the balance of power in favor of the defending country.  

French Fighter Jets for Ukraine  

French Minister of Defense Sébastien Lecornu announced that Ukraine will start receiving the first Mirage 2000 fighter jets in the first quarter of 2025. The aircraft will be outfitted with new electronic warfare equipment to increase their survivability over the contested skies. Moreover, the jets heading to Ukraine will pack undisclosed modifications that will enable them to carry more air-to-ground munitions.  

The Ukrainian Air Force will receive the Mirage 2000-5 version of the aircraft, but it is yet unknown how many aircraft are in the deal. Kyiv would need at least a squadron of twenty fighter jets to make a difference in the air war.  

Ukrainian pilots and maintainers have been receiving training on French aircraft for several months now. The goal is for them to be ready by early 2025. 

The Dassault Mirage 2000 is the second Western fighter jet to join the ranks of the Ukrainian Air Force after the U.S.-made F-16 Fighting Falcon. There have also been talks between Kyiv and its Western partners about the potential transfer of JAS 39 Gripen and Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft.  

The Dassault Mirage 2000 

The Dassault Mirage 2000 is a fourth-generation multi-role fighter jet. Made in France by Dassault, the Mirage 2000 can reliably conduct both air superiority and ground attack missions.  

As far as performance goes, the Mirage 2000 is very fast and capable of reaching speeds as high as Mach 2.2, around 1,700 miles per hour. Also, it has an operational ceiling of 60,000 feet and can carry a total of almost 14,000 pounds of munitions in nine external hardpoints. 

In terms of munitions, the French fighter jet can pack a great variety of air-to-air and air-to-ground munitions, including the powerful SCALP-EG air-launched cruise missile already in service with the Ukrainian Air Force.  

The aircraft first entered service in 1984 with the French Air Force. Since then, there have been several versions of the fighter jet, with the most advanced iteration being the Mirage 2000-5 Mk.2.  

In terms of operators, the French fighter jet has served or is still serving in ten countries: Brazil, Egypt, France, Greece, India, Peru, Qatar, Taiwan, and the United Arab Emirates. 

This is good news for Kyiv because it means that there is an active market for spare parts to sustain a future fleet of Ukrainian Dassault Mirage 2000 fighter jets. And not just spare parts. Greece, for example, is modernizing its air forces and is in talks with the French Ministry of Defense and Dassault for the transfer of its fleet of Mirage 2000-5 Mk.2 aircraft, about twenty-four, back to Paris in exchange for money or Dassault Rafale fighter jets. A potential agreement between Athens and Paris would open the door for Ukraine to receive the transferred aircraft down the line. 

About the Author: 

Stavros Atlamazoglou is a seasoned defense journalist specializing in special operations and a Hellenic Army veteran (national service with the 575th Marine Battalion and Army HQ). He holds a BA from the Johns Hopkins University and an MA from the Johns Hopkins’ School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS). His work has been featured in Business Insider, Sandboxx, and SOFREP.

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