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| France will supply Mirage 2000-5 fighter jets to Ukraine and start training pilots this summer. This initiative, announced by President Emmanuel Macron, aims to bolster Ukraine's air defense amid ongoing conflict with Russia. Training will occur in France, with pilots expected to be ready by year-end |
France plans to supply Mirage 2000-5 jets to Ukraine and start training their pilots. These jets will complement the F-16 that several Western countries will soon provide to help Ukraine fight against Russia." We will lauch a new cooperation program and announce the tranfer of the Marage 2000-5 a French fighter jet that will enable Ukraine to protect its land and airspace. Starting tomorrow, we will launch a pilot training program, followed by the delivery of these jets," said French President Emmanuel Macron during his meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Normandy, France.
Dassault Aviation, aFrench defence company has produced around 600 mirage 2000 jets. According to Air Force Technology about half of these have been exported to eight countries, including Greece, the United Arab Emirates and Taiwan.
The mirage 2000-5 is an upgraded variant with enhanced radar. This jet is compatible with Mica air to air missiles and Scalp/Storm Shadow cruise missiles, which France also supplies to Ukraine. Ukrainian pilots will be trained in France. Macron did not specify how many jets would be provided stating that more details would follow." The key factor is the pilot training time, so we will propose to President Zelenskyy that the training starts as soon as this summer. It usually takes five to six month, so by the end of the year, they can fly these planes," Macron said.
Macron also mentioned that Ukraine could use French weapons to target military sites in Russia which are the source of attacks on Ukraine. This statement came after Russia aggressively attacked the city of Kharkiv, leaving Ukraine increasingly overwhelmed. Meanwhile, the goverment of the Netherlands and Denmark announced last year that they would provide F-16 jets to Ukraine. Norway and Belgium have since joined the coalition. Training for F-16 pilots has already begun in several European countries.