Dassault Mirage 2000D: Could This Fighter Make a Difference for Ukraine? The air war in Ukraine is picking up.

Despite having fewer and older aircraft than the Russian Aerospace Forces, the Ukrainian Air Force is landing some impressive punches.

Only this week, Kyiv shot down a precious Beriev A-50 airborne command and control aircraft and severely damaged an Il-20 spy plane.

Ukrainian pilots can look at the future with hope. In the upcoming weeks, they will be getting their first F-16 Fighting Falcon fighter jets.

But they might be getting something else, too. Enter the Dassault Mirage 2000D. 

Dassault Mirage 2000D for Ukraine? 

Ukrainian military officials have stated that in order to push back the Russian forces from the Donbas, southern Ukraine, and the Crimean Peninsula, they need more weapon systems from the West, including A-10 Thunderbolt II attack jets and Mirage 2000D.

Over the weekend, Gen. Mykola Oleshchuk, the commander of the Ukrainian Air Force, reiterated that view. 

“Therefore, along with F-16s, MiG-29s will also operate in the sky, and it is possible that the combat capabilities of Su-24M bombers will be enhanced by Mirage-2000D, and Su-25 attack aircraft will be strengthened by A-10 Thunderbolt II,” Oleshchuk said on Telegram. 

A fourth-generation multirole fighter jet, the Dassault Mirage 2000 first entered service in 1984. The Mirage 2000D is an aircraft capable of air-superiority and strategic attack missions. It can reach speeds of more than Mach 2.2 and has an operating ceiling of 60,000 feet.

In terms of weapons, it can carry several thousands of pounds of air-to-air and air-to-ground munitions in nine external hardpoints.

If the Ukrainian Air Force can get its hands on a respectable number of Mirage 2000Ds (at least 48 for two full squadrons), it could have a better chance of fighting off the larger and more technologically advanced Russian Aerospace Forces.

Dassault exported the aircraft to nine countries (Brazil, UAE, Egypt, Greece, India, Peru, Taiwan, and Qatar), and more than 500 aircraft are still in service. The type being operational could create a ready stream of spare parts or even additional aircraft for Ukraine.

Although France has relatively held back in its support for Ukraine, Paris has contributed some important weapon systems, including the SCALP-EG air-to-ground cruise missile, AMX-10 RC tank killers, and Ceasar 155mm self-propelled artillery pieces.

But First, the F-16 Fighting Falcon 

Although the Mirage 2000D would be a great addition to the Ukrainian Air Force, Oleshchuk clarified that right now, incorporating the F-16 fighter jet smoothly into Ukrainian service is the priority. 

“The priority today, of course, is the F-16, for which Ukrainian pilots are already being retrained. However, our experts are also studying other opportunities to increase the combat potential of aviation in general,” the Ukrainian military leader added.

The Ukrainian Air Force expects an unspecified number of F-16 Fighting Falcon fighter jets over the next months. Ukrainian pilots and maintainers are already undergoing training on how to operate and service the aircraft. Once a cadre is ready, the Western countries that have committed the aircraft (Denmark, Norway, Belgium, and the Netherlands) will start transferring the first aircraft. 

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 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. Email the author: [email protected].

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