“The first Mirage 2000s have arrived from France, strengthening our defense capabilities.” Officials said that for security reasons, it could not be revealed how many of the single-engine, multi-role Mirages, which were replaced by Rafales in the French Air Force, had been delivered.
North Korean ballistic missiles fired into Ukraine by Russian forces have become much more accurate over time, according to senior Ukrainian military officials. Vladimir Putin’s invading forces have been using imported North Korean shells since late 2023, and their accuracy and performance have changed drastically since then, military sources told Reuters.
All of the more than 20 ballistic missiles that hit Ukraine in the past few weeks landed within 50-100 meters of their intended target, the sources said. This is not only helping Russia in its war effort, but is also improving North Korea’s military capabilities, they warned. Meanwhile, the first batch of French Mirage 2000 fighter jets has arrived in Ukraine, French Armed Forces Minister Sebastien Lecornu announced. Dutch F-16s have also arrived, officials said.
SHIPMENTS FROM FRANCE AND THE NETHERLANDS
President Emmanuel Macron promised in June last year that Ukrainian pilots would be trained on the Mirage 2000, which was a step forward in military aid to Ukraine. “Ukrainian pilots who have been training in France for several months will now defend the skies over Ukraine,” French Defense Minister Sebastien Lecornu wrote on X. This was confirmed on the same social network by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
“The first Mirage 2000s have arrived from France, strengthening our defense capabilities.” Officials said that for security reasons, it could not be revealed how many of the single-engine, multi-role Mirages, which were replaced by Rafales in the French Air Force, had been delivered.
A report by a French parliamentary committee from late 2024 said that six of the 26 Mirages in the French fleet would be donated to Ukraine. At the same time, Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov announced that the Netherlands had delivered American-made F-16 fighter jets to Kiev. They, along with the Mirages, “will soon be launched on combat missions,” Umerov wrote on Facebook. “We continue to expand our F-16 fleet,” Zelensky said. The first F-16s arrived in Ukraine in 2024, but their role in the war was limited by the powerful Russian air force.
MIRAGE 2000
The Mirage 2000 is a multi-role aircraft designed in the late 1970s and introduced in 1984. The 2000-5 version, a fourth-generation fighter jet, meaning it belongs to the same class as the US-made F-16, has updated radar systems and can carry fuel tanks, significantly increasing its range. French media had previously reported that the version delivered to Ukraine would be equipped to strike ground targets.
As Defense News explained, French company Dassault Aviation has produced about 600 Mirage 2000 bombers, half of which have been exported to eight countries, including Greece, the United Arab Emirates and Taiwan. The aircraft is approximately 14 meters (46 ft) long, with a wingspan of approximately 9 meters. It has an empty weight of 7500 kilograms and a maximum speed of about 2700 kilometers per hour.
UKRAINE’S GOALS
One should not neglect the improved electronic warfare equipment, which could make the Mirage aircraft’s navigation systems and their onboard radars or communication systems more resistant to Russian jamming signals. In any case, the Ukrainian Air Force does not intend to rely solely on the F-16 and the Mirage. In late September, Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov explained that, in addition to the aircraft already promised in Kiev, discussions were underway on possible deliveries of other types of combat aircraft, such as the Swedish-made Gripen aircraft and the European Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft.
