The Ukrainian Air Force (PS ZSU) has received its first ex-French Mirage 2000-5F fighters along with another batch of Dutch F-16s.
French Armed Forces Minister Sébastien Lecornu stated on his X account on 6 February 2025, “On June 6 2024 [French President] Emmanuel Macron announced the delivery of French Mirage 2000s to Ukraine. The first of them arrived in Ukraine today. With Ukrainian pilots on board who have been trained for several months in France, they will now participate in defending the skies of Ukraine.”
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy posted on X the same day, “Ukraine’s air fleet continues to develop. The first Mirage 2000 jets from France have arrived, adding to our air defence capabilities. I thank Emmanuel Macron for his leadership and support — France’s president keeps his word, and we appreciate it. This is another step in strengthening Ukraine’s security.
“With the latest deliveries, we are also continuing to expand our F-16 fleet, with the Netherlands fulfilling its commitments to support this effort. I am grateful to everyone who helps and contributes to this.”
Referring to the French Mirage 2000 and Dutch F-16 deliveries as “a long-awaited reinforcement”, Ukrainian Defence Minister Rustem Umerov stated on Telegram, “These modern combat vehicles are already in Ukraine and will soon begin to perform combat missions, strengthening our defence and ability to effectively counter Russian aggression.
“I am grateful to France for this strategically important contribution to our security – [the] Mirage 2000 will become a new element of protection of Ukrainian skies,” he said, adding, “The support of the Netherlands is another important step that brings us closer to victory and ensures reliable protection of Ukrainian cities and citizens.”
The Netherlands has pledged to transfer 24 F-16s to Ukraine and delivered the first of these in October 2024.
It is not known how many Mirage 2000-5Fs the PS ZSU is receiving, but Ukraine reportedly requested 12. According to the FlightGlobal World Air Forces directory, the French Air and Space Force had 26 Mirage 2000-5Fs still in service at the beginning of 2025. The type officially entered French service in 1999, having been upgraded from French Mirage 2000Cs that entered service from 1983.
The Mirage 2000-5F is primarily an air defence platform and was the first French fighter to integrate a ‘Fox 3’ fire-and-forget missile capability, allowing pilots to engage multiple targets simultaneously and at long range. However, Lecornu has previously stated that the French jets donated to Ukraine were to be upgraded with an air-to-ground capability, which will allow them to carry SCALP-EG cruise missiles and AASM Hammer rocket-assisted guided bombs as well as MICA beyond-visual-range air-to-air missiles.
The PS ZSU received its first second-hand F-16s in August 2024, with Denmark, the Netherlands, Belgium and Norway all committing to donate F-16s to Kyiv as their air forces transition to the F-35.
France’s Mirage 2000s are being replaced by the Rafale.
