First Mirage aircraft from France arrive in Ukraine – French defense minister

The first Mirage 2000 combat jets transferred by France have already arrived in Ukraine.

French Defense Minister Sebastien Lecornu wrote about this on Twitter.

"On June 6, 2024, Emmanuel Macron announced the delivery of French Mirage 2000 fighter jets to Ukraine. The first of them arrived in Ukraine today," Lecornu wrote.

He specified that the aircraft and Ukrainian pilots on board, who underwent several months of training in France, would help protect Ukrainian skies.

A French publication, citing sources, reported that Ukraine is set to receive its first Mirage 2000-5 fighter jets, consisting of three aircraft, from France in January.

As noted in the publication, the aircraft that Ukraine would receive were decommissioned from the French Air Force and modified by the DGA to perform more complex tasks.

In total, Ukraine may receive about 10 Mirage fighters.

At that time, Avions Legendaires reported that the first three aircraft would be delivered by January 20.

For reference:

The Mirage 2000 is a fourth-generation multirole fighter developed by the French company Dassault Aviation. First flying in 1978, it became the mainstay of the French Air Force's combat fleet and was exported to several other countries.

With its delta wing design, the Mirage 2000 boasts high maneuverability and achieves speeds exceeding Mach 2. The aircraft is equipped with:

• modern avionics, 
• powerful onboard radar, 
• and the capability to carry various weapons, including air-to-air and air-to-ground guided missiles.

The Mirage 2000 is available in several modifications, including fighter interceptors, strike variants, and two-seat combat training versions. Due to its ease of maintenance and high reliability, it remains in service even after the appearance of more modern aircraft such as the Rafale.