Less than a year after the transfer was announced, the French Defense Minister announced the delivery of the first Mirage 2000 aircraft to Ukraine, flown by Ukrainian pilots.
The French Defense Minister Sebastien Lecornu has announced on Feb. 6, 2025, the delivery of the first Mirage 2000 fighters to Ukraine, less than a year after the transfer was announced by French President Emmanuel Macron on Jun. 6, 2024. In a post published on X, the Minister mentioned that the aircraft arrived in Ukraine on the same day of the announcement, flown by Ukrainian pilots.
Le 6 juin 2024, @EmmanuelMacron avait annoncé la livraison à l’Ukraine de Mirage 2000 français.
Les premiers d’entre eux sont arrivés aujourd’hui en Ukraine.
Avec à leur bord les pilotes ukrainiens formés pendant plusieurs mois en France, ils participeront désormais à défendre…
— Sébastien Lecornu (@SebLecornu) February 6, 2025
In early January 2025, reports emerged online mentioned that the training of the pilots and ground crews at Nancy Air Base, in France, appeared to be complete. That info was not confirmed by officials, however it is consistent with what was previously disclosed by Macron, who said that the training would have taken five to six month, and with Lecornu mentioning that training was ongoing in Nancy.
The details about the delivery, including the number of aircraft and weapons, are currently not available. Similarly, photos of the aircraft either in Ukraine or with Ukrainian markings have not been disclosed.
Mirage for Ukraine
As mentioned, France first announced the willingness to provide some of its Mirage 2000s to Ukraine in June 2024, in occasion of commemorations of the D-Day landings on June 6, 1944, attended by Ukrainian President Voldymyr Zelensky.
The French government confirmed in November that Ukraine will receive six Mirage 2000-5F fighters during the first quarter of 2025, together with a full support package. Ukraine has reportedly asked for 12 Mirages to meet its immediate needs. France is reported to have between 24 and 28 Mirage 2000-5F still in service.
Lecornu stated that the future Ukrainian Mirages will be modified. “The aim is to equip them with air-to-ground combat capabilities and strengthen their electronic warfare system,” said Lecornu. “This transformation operation will take place at the Cazaux base in Gironde.”
According to La Tribune, the aircraft delivered to Ukraine will be armed with MICA air-to-air missiles, SCALP-EG air-launched cruise missiles, AASM Hammer guided bombs and two 30 mm DEFA 554 cannons. The MICA missiles and the cannons are already employed by the French Mirage 2000-5Fs, while the air-to-ground weapons have to be integrated.
No details are available regarding the electronic warfare system which will equip the aircraft, although some sources say it could be the Integrated Counter Measures Suite (ICMS) Mk3 already used by export Mirage 2000s. The system, which in the latest version is fully digital, includes radar and infrared warning sensors, as well as jammers and countermeasures.
As we mentioned when the transfer was first announced, similarly to the F-16s, the Mirage 2000s will not be real game changers in the air war over Ukraine, even though they will certainly help. This will in fact brin to the aerial battlefield another 4th gen. multirole aircraft with a good maneuverability and agility, fairly modern avionics and sensors, and the ability to carry two weapons already used by Ukraine, but this time fully integrated in the aircraft.
The weapons
The MBDA MICA (Missile d’interception, de combat et d’autodéfense, “interception, combat and self-defence missile”) is the main air-to-air missile employed by the French Air Force. The missile, which is classified as short to medium range, comes in two variants: IR (infrared) and RF (radiofrequency), the latter with active radar homing guidance.
The weapon has a lock-on after launch (LOAL) capability and is reportedly resistant to countermeasures, including both chaff and flares. Reports state MICA has a 12 kg (26 lb) warhead, with a 60–80 km (32–43 NM) range and a speed of Mach 4.
The SCALP EG (Système de Croisière Autonome à Longue Portée – Emploi Général / Long Range Autonomous Cruise Missile System – General Purpose) is the French variant of the MBDA Storm Shadow cruise missile, which has been in use in Ukraine since May 2023. The two missiles are almost identical, with just minor differences.
This air-launched cruise missile is a stealthy weapon weighing 1,300 kg and measuring over 5 meters in length. It is specifically designed for attacking heavily fortified and valuable targets from stand-off distance, ensuring aircraft and crews remain out of harm’s way even in high-threat environments and adverse weather conditions.
