First Mirage 2000 fighter jets arrive in Ukraine: Details
Photo: Ukraine received the first Mirage 2000 fighter jets from France (Getty Images)
Ukraine has received its first Mirage 2000 fighter jets. These French aircraft are intended to strengthen the Air Force of the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
Contents:
First deliveries
In June 2024, French President Emmanuel Macron announced the intention to supply Ukraine with Mirage 2000 fighter jets. Earlier, the reports indicated that Ukraine would receive the upgraded Mirage 2000-5F version.
Initially, Paris claimed that the first aircraft would arrive in Ukraine by the end of 2024. However, the delivery timeline was later postponed. In October 2024, French Defense Minister Sébastien Lecornu stated that Ukraine could expect the Mirage fighter jets in the first quarter of 2025, while Western media reported the first deliveries would occur in January.
Today, February 6, the French Defense Minister announced the delivery of the first Mirage 2000 fighter jets to Ukraine.
"On June 6, 2024, Emmanuel Macron announced the delivery of French Mirage 2000 fighter jets to Ukraine. The first of them arrived in Ukraine today," Lecornu wrote on his X (Twitter) account.
According to him, alongside the jets, pilots who had undergone months of training in France arrived in Ukraine, being ready to defend Ukrainian airspace.
France did not specify the number of aircraft delivered. However, earlier reports from Western media and specialized media resources suggested that Ukraine could initially receive three jets.
Mirage 2000 characteristics
The Mirage 2000 is a fourth-generation multirole fighter developed in the 1970s by the Dassault Aviation company. The Ukrainian Air Force received the upgraded Mirage 2000-5F version.
France, Greece, Egypt, as well as several Asian and Latin American countries are armed with these fighter jets. In total, more than 600 aircraft were produced, with manufacturing concluding in 2007.
Key specifications:
- Length: 14.36 m
- Wingspan: 9.13 m
- Height: 5.14 m
- Weight: 7,500 kg
- Maximum takeoff weight: 17,000 kg
- Maximum combat load: 6,200 kg
- Maximum speed: 2,340 km/h
- Range: 1,852 km
- Service ceiling: 16,460 m
- Crew: 1 person
The Mirage 2000 is equipped with two 30mm cannons and can carry air-to-air, air-to-ground, anti-ship, and anti-radiation missiles, as well as guided and unguided bombs. Missile ranges vary depending on the version.
French jets can carry MICA missiles for air combat (up to 80 km), Exocet anti-ship missiles (up to 70 km), SCALP/Storm Shadow cruise missiles for strikes on ground targets (up to 290 km/560 km), AS37 Armat anti-radiation missiles (up to 120 km), and a wide range of bombs.
An important point is that the jets received by Ukraine were reportedly modernized to have the option to use Storm Shadow/SCALP-EG cruise missiles. France is also providing these long-range missiles for strikes on Russian targets.
Aircraft performance
Previously, the Ukrainian Air Force emphasized that any reinforcement of aviation is important. However, the military prioritized F-16 fighters over the Mirage 2000.
Former Ukrainian Air Force spokesperson Illia Yevlash noted that the Mirage 2000 is an effective aircraft capable of performing both air and ground combat missions.
Photo: Mirage 2000 can carry long-range missiles (wikipedia.org)
Ukrainian aviation expert Valerii Romanenko, in previous comments to RBC-Ukraine, pointed out that French Mirage fighter jets would not compete head-to-head with Russian aircraft like MiGs and Su. According to Romanenko, the French jet will be useful as a defensive fighter and can perform some tasks currently assigned to F-16s.
Ukrainian aviation expert also reminded that the Mirage 2000 can carry not only long-range SCALP missiles but also AASM Hammer bombs for frontline strikes.
Sources: French Minister of Defense Sébastien Lecornu’s X account, profile website Defense Express, data from Wikipedia and French media, previous statements from Ukrainian Air Force representatives, and aviation expert Valerii Romanenko.
