France to Deliver First Mirage 2000-5F Fighters to Ukraine in January
France will hand over the first three Mirage 2000-5F fighter jets to the Ukrainian Air Force in three weeks, Avions Legendaires reports.
These aircraft have been decommissioned by the French Air Force and modified to perform more complex missions. In total, Ukraine will receive about ten of these aircraft.
According to Avions Legendaires, the first three aircraft may be delivered by 20 January 2025.
The Mirage 2000 is a multi-role, single-engine jet fighter. By 2030, France intends to replace its Mirage fleet with new Rafale fighters.
France is also trying to convince other countries that have Mirage aircraft to supply them to Ukraine. Earlier this year, French President Emmanuel Macron said that his country would provide Ukraine with Mirage jets and train the first Ukrainian pilots by the end of the year. Over the next two years, Paris pledged to certify the training of 26 Ukrainians.
In September of this year, Ukrainian Defence Minister Rustem Umerov said that the Ukrainian armed forces were expecting to receive a French-made Mirage 2000.
And in October, French Defence Minister Sebastian Le Coronneau said that Paris would supply Kyiv with Mirage 2000 fighters in the first quarter of 2025. The aircraft will be equipped with the latest surface-to-air and electronic warfare systems.