With the Mirage 2000 jets basking in the limelight after their first delivery to Ukraine, France is touting their knack for neutralizing Iranian-made Shahed drones—an adversary Ukrainian pilots may soon confront.
On February 10, French Air Force Chief of Staff, General Jérôme Bellanger, took to LinkedIn to highlight the combat capabilities of the French Dassault Mirage 2000-5 fighter jets.
He began by confirming that the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) have received their first Mirage 2000-5 aircraft from France, which will play a direct role in Ukraine’s defense.
Bellanger revealed that within the Armée de l’Air et de l’Espace (the French Air and Space Force), the Mirage 2000-5, alongside the Rafale, has recently demonstrated its “effectiveness against Shahed-type suicide drones, against which Ukrainian pilots will have to fight.”
He commended the French combat crews engaged in operations, noting that they recently destroyed nearly a dozen drones, particularly over the Red Sea.
Bellanger added that the effectiveness of these missions underscores both the high quality of France’s weapons systems and the expertise of its personnel.
The announcement was accompanied by a video that appeared to be recorded from the heads-up display (HUD) of a French fighter jet, capturing the precise moment a target was intercepted, seemingly by a MICA air-to-air missile.
The footage provided a rare glimpse into the operational capabilities of French aircraft in real-time combat scenarios.
According to Opex360, a French online newspaper specializing in defense and geopolitics, on March 9, 2024, the French Armed Forces’ General Staff reported that a French frigate and fighter jets participating in Operation ASPIDES had successfully intercepted four kamikaze drones.
These drones, launched from Yemeni territory by Houthi rebels, were en route to strike the Alsace multi-purpose frigate.
While the official announcement did not specify the exact aircraft involved, media reports suggest that the only viable candidates for this operation were the Mirage 2000-5Fs from the 3/11 Corsica fighter squadron stationed in Djibouti.
French Mirage 2000-5s For Ukraine
The French Air Force chief’s disclosure of the Mirage fighter jets’ combat effectiveness reinforces the confidence that these aircraft are well-equipped to counter Russian aerial threats. The initial batch of former French Dassault Mirage 2000-5 fighter jets has recently been delivered to Ukraine.
The French jets have become the second type of Western fighter aircraft in Ukraine’s arsenal, joining a fleet of ex-European, US-made F-16s to revitalize the country’s battle-worn air force.
The ex-Danish and ex-Dutch F-16s that have already been delivered (aside from one Danish jet lost in a crash) have been actively deployed on air defense operations.
These aircraft have played a key role in intercepting Russian drones and cruise missiles, helping to protect Ukrainian cities from ongoing bombardment.
Meanwhile, the initial batch from France reportedly comprised three Mirage 2000-5 fighter jets. Paris is expected to provide between twelve and twenty of these jets as part of its military assistance package.
Before the recent arrival of French jets in Ukraine, the Mirage 2000-5F fighters were modified to enhance their capability to engage ground targets.
The upgrades allow these jets to carry both SCALP-EG cruise missiles and Hammer glide bombs, according to La Tribune. These modifications ensure that Ukraine’s newly acquired jets are not limited to air-defense roles but can also conduct precision strikes against enemy targets.
The new aircraft arrived at a critical moment as Ukrainian forces struggled to hold the line in eastern Ukraine. The air force is playing a central role in supporting ground operations by targeting Russian command posts to disrupt front-line coordination and give Ukraine’s outnumbered troops a fighting chance.
However, the effectiveness of the Mirage 2000-5s will ultimately depend on the availability of their most advanced munitions. It remains unclear how many SCALP-EG missiles Ukraine has received from France, though efforts are underway to supply more.
Paris has allocated US$2 billion this year to ramp up munitions production, including a new batch of SCALP-EGs, many of which could be destined for Ukraine.
Gaël Veyssiere, France’s ambassador to Ukraine, said that the country continues to supply SCALP missiles but has a limited stockpile. He acknowledged that France needs to produce more of these long-range weapons, which requires additional time.
That said, the Mirage deal could serve as a catalyst for future aircraft transfers, whether additional Mirage 2000-5s from alternative sources or entirely new Western fighter platforms.
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