France bolsters Ukraine's defence with Mirage-2000 jets
French President Emmanuel Macron, in an interview with Le Parisien, announced the possibility of providing Ukraine with additional Mirage-2000 fighter jets, reports the Ukrainian National News service. Some of these jets could come "from third countries that use them."
Emmanuel Macron "did not rule out" the possibility of sending additional Mirage-2000 fighter jets to Kyiv, including aircraft coming "from third countries that use them." According to UNN, France is also working on speeding up the delivery of missiles and drones, which Ukraine has identified as priority military equipment needed to defend against Russian aggression.
France continues to support Ukraine
The President of France emphasized that Russia is not showing a sincere desire to make peace and is ignoring ceasefire proposals. He also called for a united effort by Ukraine's allies and the U.S. to pressure Russia into achieving a ceasefire. Macron also seeks to convince European Union countries to purchase weapons from European manufacturers, offering alternatives to the American Patriot and F-35 systems. Canada and Portugal are currently considering foregoing the latter.
Recent events, such as the interception of a Russian missile by a Ukrainian Mirage-2000, have garnered significant international attention. These aircraft, which also intercept Russian drones, have demonstrated their effectiveness and capabilities on the real battlefield.
It is worth recalling that the Dassault Mirage 2000 is a single-seat, multi-role French fighter plane that debuted in 1978. Its design is based on a delta configuration, giving the aircraft good aerodynamic properties and manoeuvrability. The Mirage 2000 is powered by a single SNECMA M53-P2 engine, allowing it to reach a maximum speed of about 2,333 km/h and an operational ceiling of around 17,000 metres.
The Mirage 2000 was designed with versatility in mind. It can carry a wide range of armaments, including air-to-air missiles such as Magic 2 and MICA, as well as air-to-ground missiles, including SCALP-EG cruise missiles and AASM guided bombs. The Mirage 2000-5 version, one of the most modern, is equipped with the RDY-2 radar with a range of up to 130 km, modern avionics, and the ability to integrate with weapon systems used in newer aircraft, such as the Dassault Rafale.
To date, France has decided to provide Ukraine with several Mirage 2000-5F fighter jets. These aircraft, after appropriate modifications to adapt them to the specific conditions of the Ukrainian theatre of operations, were delivered to the Ukrainians at the beginning of 2025. Already in February of this year, the Ukrainian air force successfully used these jets to repel a massive Russian attack, shooting down, among other things, Kh-101 cruise missiles.
