First Batch of French Mirage 2000 Fighter Jets Arrives in Ukraine Ahead of Schedule

Ukraine has received its first upgraded Mirage 2000 fighter jets from France, French Defense Minister Sébastien Lecornu announced on Thursday, Feb. 6.

The exact number of jets was not specified, but Lecornu confirmed they arrived with Ukrainian pilots on board, who had completed several months of training in France.

The arrival comes ahead of the initially planned schedule – France previously said the jets were expected to arrive around April 1.

These aircraft had been waiting for deployment since June, meaning they spent nearly eight months in preparation.

Back in October of 2023, Lecornu mentioned that the Mirage 2000s were receiving updates at Cazaux Air Base in southwest France, where they received new electronic warfare (EW) systems and air-to-ground attack capabilities.

At the same time, France has been training 26 Ukrainian pilots and ground crew members since March. While this training was initially seen as preparation for F-16s, it now appears to have been designed or adjusted for the Mirage jets.

With their arrival, the Mirage 2000s became the second Western fighter aircraft provided to Ukraine, following the delivery of F-16s, the first of which arrived in the summer of 2024.

The model of Mirage being provided is likely the older 2000-C variant that the French Air Force retired in June 2022, rather than the more modern Mirage 2000-5F, which is currently in service.

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French President Emanuel Macron pledged in June to provide the Mirage 2000-5 variant, which suggests that the Mirage 2000s provided to Ukraine would have undergone a fairly extensive modernization program.