In a significant development, France has delivered Ukraine with its initial shipment of Mirage 2000-5 fighter jets to bolster Kyiv’s defense against Russian airstrikes, as reported by AFP. This shipment is part of France’s ongoing military support to Ukraine, which also involved training Ukrainian pilots to operate the aircraft in recent months.
On Thursday, French Defence Minister Sebastien Lecornu confirmed that France had delivered the first batch of Mirage 2000-5 jets to Ukraine. He emphasized that these fighter aircraft were sent to support Ukraine in the ongoing conflict. Sharing a post on X, Lecornu stated, “On June 6, 2024, @EmmanuelMacron announced the delivery of French Mirage 2000s to Ukraine. The first of them arrived in Ukraine today. With Ukrainian pilots on board who have been trained for several months in France, they will now participate in defending the skies of Ukraine.”
He did not disclose the exact number of fighter jets in the first batch. However, he highlighted that in recent months, Ukrainian pilots had undergone training in France to operate the Mirage jets and are now ready to help defend Ukraine’s airspace. The Mirage 2000-5 is a fourth-generation fighter jet, similar in class to the American F-16. Ukraine already has F-16 jets, primarily used for air defense and combat patrols. French Defence Minister Lecornu mentioned that, in order to better support Ukraine in the conflict and enhance its combat capabilities, France has also upgraded the Mirage 2000-5 for improved performance in warfare.
France aims to upgrade the fighter jets with air-to-ground combat capabilities and improve their electronic warfare systems. The most important part is training Ukrainian pilots. The Mirage 2000 was originally built for air-to-air combat. On September 20, 2024, France announced that the first group of Ukrainian pilots had completed their Alpha Jet training, reported NavBharat Times. Usually, training for Mirage pilots takes about five to six months.
The Mirage 2000 fighter jet, developed by the French defense company Dassault (also known for creating the Rafale jet), remains highly effective despite being designed years ago. The report further stated that it ranks seventh among the fastest fighter jets, reaching speeds of Mach 2.2. First introduced in the 1980s, the Mirage 2000 is a single-engine, multi-purpose fighter jet, built to replace the Mirage III. It is capable of flying at speeds up to 1,400 km/h.
February 2025 marks three years since the start of the war in Ukraine, with the conflict now entering its fourth year. When Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, many anticipated that Vladimir Putin would swiftly win the war within a couple of weeks. However, this did not happen. With the help of weapons from Western nations, Ukraine has stood firm. Although over half of the country has been devastated by Russian attacks, Ukraine continues to resist and fight back.
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