France Is Sending Mirage 2000 Fighters to Battle Russia

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Key Points: France’s donation of Mirage 2000-5F fighter jets to Ukraine is a significant boost for Kyiv’s air capabilities, but it comes with challenges.

-Set for delivery in early 2025, the jets will require Ukrainian pilots and crews to undergo extensive training, hindered by language barriers and technical complexity.

-The Mirage 2000-5F, with its advanced RDY-3 radar and capability to launch Storm Shadow cruise missiles, offers strong ground-strike and air-to-air combat potential.

-Despite these capabilities, the effectiveness of the transfer hinges on successful training and integration into Ukraine’s air force.

-This move underscores France’s commitment to aiding Ukraine’s defense against Russian aggression.

Mirage 2000 Fighters Are Coming to Ukraine: Will Pilots Be Ready?

We’ve told you about France’s Dassault Rafale, which is one of the most underrated fighters in the world and has earned the right to get more publicity. But Dassault had another older fighter who had been used to populate the French air force. This is called the Dassault Mirage 2000 and has been a workhorse for decades. 

Now, as Rafales replaces and retires the Mirage 2000, the French are cutting loose the older jets and donating them to the Ukrainians. 

They will arrive at Volodymyr Zelensky’s air force in the first quarter of 2025.

What Are the Challenges When It Comes to Training Pilots 

Ukraine is thankful for all the fighter jets it receives from allies, especially the F-16s from the United States and other countries. 

However, there is a problem. 

Ukraine needs more qualified fighter pilots. One issue is the language barrier. Maintenance and training manuals for the Mirage 2000 are in French, and many trainers do their jobs without Ukrainian language skills. English is probably spoken between the two groups, but the rift remains.

Air-to-Ground Combat Capable 

The French Armed Forces Minister announced on X about the Mirage 2000 transfer to Ukraine recently. 

“Mirage 2000 bound for Ukraine: delivery still scheduled for the first quarter of 2025. In Cazaux, Gironde, they will be equipped with new equipment: air-ground combat and anti-electronic warfare defense. The training of Ukrainian pilots and mechanics continues,” the minister posted.

How Many Pilots Are We Talking About?

Focus on the last sentence about pilots’ and crews’ training—“it continues.” There are no specific details about how long the training will last or how it is going. In the spring of 2023, French media claimed there were 30 Ukrainian pilots under instruction.

Ukraine will receive the 2000-5F Mirage variants. France is sending between 10 and 20. There should be enough trained pilots to handle the airplane deftly, but French media reports do not indicate that.

The Clock Is Ticking on Training

However, the New Voice of Ukraine media outlet said, “French experts will ensure the operational retraining of pilots and the qualification enhancement of mechanics and armament specialists.” That’s good news, and this training process should be completed by early 2025.

Optimum Ground Strike Capabilities

Another encouraging development is that the Mirage 2000-5F will be able to launch Storm Shadow cruise missiles, which will enable more attacks on Russian ammunition dumps, fuel depots, supply centers, and other logistics facilities. The Mirage 2000-5F also carries MICA and AMRAAM long—and medium-range air-to-air missiles. There are nine hard points for weapons.

Quick Look at Mirage 2000-5F Specs

The 2000-5F has been in service with the French air force since 1984. Its maximum takeoff weight is 38,500 pounds, its ceiling is 59,000 feet, its top speed is 1,400 miles per hour, and its range is 1,000 miles.

Adjusting to Stand-off Missile Launch Tactics

The Mirage 2000-5F is equipped with the modern RDY-3 multi-purpose radar, which can detect enemy airplanes at 93 miles.

Mirage fighters have historically bee

n designated as air superiority jets, but the French are trying to configure them for multi-mission roles, especially for ground strikes. That’s where the Storm Shadow cruise missiles come in. 

Stand-off missiles are the way the aerial combat game is played these days in the skies over Ukraine and the defenders’ air force needs to take out as many surface targets as it can to stymie the re-supply of Russian troops at the front.

So, the airplane is fine. It will just come down to how well and how quickly the Ukrainians can train on the new jet. They are used to flying Soviet-era airplanes. The Mirage 2000 models will be different, and the aviators may not be ready until next summer. By then, the war could be wrapping up, and hopefully, there will be a cease-fire in 2025.

The Mirage 2000 export to Ukraine should be considered a good idea. I am concerned with training pilots, maintenance crews, and weapons loaders. It takes an extensive team to operate a fighter jet properly.

 Let’s hope the French trainers can turn the fighter schoolhouse into an elite “university” for the Ukrainian pilots and the defenders take to the Mirage 2000 jets adroitly.

About the Author: Dr. Brent M. Eastwood 

Brent M. Eastwood, PhD, is the author of Don’t Turn Your Back On the World: a Conservative Foreign Policy and Humans, Machines, and Data: Future Trends in Warfare, plus two other books. Brent was the founder and CEO of a tech firm that predicted world events using artificial intelligence. He served as a legislative fellow for U.S. Senator Tim Scott and advised the senator on defense and foreign policy issues. He has taught at American University, George Washington University, and George Mason University. Brent is a former U.S. Army Infantry officer. He can be followed on X @BMEastwood.