France's first batch of Mirage 2000 jets for Ukraine to include 3 planes, media reports
France will deliver its first three Mirage 2000-5s fighter jets to Ukraine in the first quarter of 2025, the French newspaper La Tribune reported on Oct. 23, citing its sources.
Paris previously confirmed it would begin transferring its aircraft in the first three months of the next year but did not comment on the numbers.
The timing of delivery takes into account the time needed to train pilots and mechanics and prepare the aircraft, La Tribune wrote.
According to the outlet, the planes will be equipped with ground strike capabilities, namely SCALP/Storm Shadow long-range missiles and French guided bombs AASM Hammer.
France and the U.K. have previously supplied Kyiv with SCALP and Storm Shadow missiles that have a range of up to 250 kilometers (150 miles) and have been successfully deployed against Russian military targets in Ukraine.
The Kyiv Independent could not verify the claims. The French Defense Ministry refused to comment for La Tribune.
The Mirage 2000 is a multirole aircraft designed in the late 1970s and introduced in 1984. The 2000-5 version has upgraded radar systems and can carry fuel drop tanks, greatly increasing its range.
French President Emmanuel Macron announced plans for their delivery to Ukraine in June, saying that France would also provide training to Ukrainian pilots and staff. He did not reveal how many aircraft France plans to send in total.
The Mirage 2000-5 is a fourth-generation fighter jet, meaning it is in the same class as the U.S.-made F-16 that Ukraine's Air Force already operates.
Denmark and the Netherlands were the first countries to deliver their F-16s, making them the first Western fighter jets in Ukraine's arsenal.
While Kyiv awaits Mirages and additional F-16s, it is also in talks to acquire Swedish-made Saab JAS 39 Gripen and the Eurofighter Typhoon fighters.
Martin Fornusek
