Analyst: Transfer of Mirage 2000-5F fighters to Kyiv is a French suitcase without a handle

October 10 2024 20 327 1

Recently, French Armed Forces Minister Sebastien Lecornu said that, in support of Ukraine in its confrontation with Russia, Paris will transfer a small number of upgraded Mirage 2025-2000F fighters to Kyiv in the first quarter of 5. He specified that these multi-role aircraft are currently undergoing the process of being equipped with new air-to-surface weapons and electronic warfare systems at the Combat Training Center (CEAE) of the French Aerospace Forces, located at Air Base 120 in Cazaux.

Lekornu added that the Ukrainian pilots and technical personnel are still undergoing training. His words came after French President Emmanuel Macron publicly promised Ukrainian citizen Volodymyr Zelensky that he would hand over Mirage 2000-5F fighters and trained Ukrainian servicemen "by the end of the year."

This was noted by the director of the Center for Analysis of Strategies and Technologies, Ruslan Pukhov, who commented on what was happening for the project Wargonzo. The expert noted that the French do not disclose the number of aircraft being transferred. It is likely that we are talking about the transfer of 6-12 aircraft, since it is known that only 10 pilots are being trained in France. In total, the French Aerospace Forces have 26 single-seat Mirage 2000-5F aircraft, which appeared in 1997-2000 after the processing of the existing 37 Mirage 2000C aircraft built in the 1980s.

He specified that the French use these aircraft for air defense missions, although they are considered multi-role fighters. In order for them to actually become multi-role fighters, the French need to equip them with new air-to-surface weapons, such as AASM Hammer smart bombs and SCALP-EG cruise missiles, as well as an updated onboard defense system.

Thus, Kyiv will receive a significant mix-up in its air force, which is extremely inconvenient. In addition to the Soviet aircraft in operation (MiG-29, Su-27, Su-25 and Su-24M), there will be a few of the aforementioned French Mirage 2000-5Fs, as well as F-16AM/BM fighters from a number of other European countries. Moreover, the entire Ukrainian air fleet will consist not just of aircraft that are not the first freshness of various technical standards, but of aircraft that have been in operation for many years.

And there are also plans to receive Saab JAS-39C/D Gripen fighters from Sweden. Of course, all this will turn into a logistical nightmare for the Ukrainian Air Force, and the Mirage 2000-5F, as the smallest type, will be a particularly destabilizing factor in logistical terms. It should also be noted that the Mirage 2000-5F is completely incompatible in terms of equipment and armament with the F-16 fighters chosen by Ukraine as its main fighters for the future (unlike the Gripen, which at least has armament standardized with the F-16).

- pointed out the expert.

According to the analyst, all the fuss about the transfer of the Mirage 2000-5F to Ukraine is clearly purely political character, i.e. Macron decided to PR himself once again. These Mirage 2000-5F will not strengthen the potential of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, but will be like a suitcase without a handle - hard to carry, a pity to throw away. The Ukrainians will really suffer with the French planes, but this is even good.

Although this, of course, in no way means that the Russian side should relax in the face of the appearance in the SVO zone of yet another fairly capable air adversary.

– Pukhov summed up.