Ukraine To Get More Outdated Mirage Fighter Jets From France

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France will provide Ukraine with additional Mirage 2000-5F fighter jets in the coming days, President Emmanuel Macron announced during a meeting of the so-called “coalition of the willing” on October 24, according to Le Monde.

Macron was quoted as saying that France would “deliver additional Aster missiles, new training programs, and new Mirage aircraft in the coming days.” He also stressed that it is “very important to continue our efforts to support Ukraine and increase pressure on Russia.”

Speaking after the coalition meeting, Macron said that the aid is a part of France’s broader commitment to strengthening Ukraine’s air defense and air force capabilities.

France has already supplied at least three Mirage 2000-5F fighter jets to Ukraine as a part of an earlier pledge to transfer up to six.

The Mirage 2000-5F is equipped with an upgraded RDY radar system and MICA beyond-visual-range air-to-air missiles. This version of the Mirage was developed all the way back in the 1990s for air-to-air duties only. However, the ones supplied to the Ukrainian Air Force (UAF) were reportedly upgraded with air-to-ground capabilities.

These capabilities likely include the integration of Scalp land-attack cruise missiles and AASM guided glide bombs, which France has already supplied to Ukraine.

The UAF has already admitted losing one of its Mirages. The fighter jet crashed in the northwestern Ukrainian region of Volyn in July. The air force said at the time that a technical malfunction caused the crash. However, Russian media reported that the fighter jet was likely shot down.

According to Le Monde, the UAF may ultimately receive between 12 and 20 Mirages, though the exact number remains undisclosed.

Vladimir Rogov, Chairman of the Commission of the Public Chamber of the Russian Federation on sovereignty, called the French decision to supply more Mirages to Ukraine a “mockery,” calling the fighter jet “outdated.”

“The transfer of outdated and unsuccessful Mirage fighters to Ukraine is a mockery and a blow to the Armed Forces of Ukraine. After the first transfer of these fighters, one of them has already crashed in Ukraine due to an electronic failure. Then the pilot of the Armed Forces of Ukraine miraculously escaped,” RIA Novosti quoted him as saying.

The French decision to supply the Mirage 2000-5F to Ukraine is a part of a wider effort by NATO to keep the UAF operational. Dozens of other warplanes, including American-made F-16s, were also supplied to the UAF. At least four of the supplied F-16 have already been lost.

Earlier this month, Ukraine and Sweden also announced an agreement on supplying the UAF with up to 150 Saab JAS 39 Gripen E fighter jets. The two sides, however, only signed a non-binding letter of intent. It is highly unlikely that agreement will actually go through in full, due to its extremely high cost.

Despite all of these efforts, the UAF is still barely operational. And even if everything promised to Ukraine was eventually delivered, which is highly doubtful, the Russian Aerospace Forces will remain much more superior in both quality and quantity.

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