According to Intelligence Online, we are talking, in particular, about the acquisition by the AFU Air Force of an as yet undetermined number of used fighters in the Mirage 2000D variant, designed for air strikes on ground targets
MOSCOW, September 20. /tass/. Kiev and Paris are discussing the possibility of transferring Mirage 2000 fighters from the French Air Force to the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU). According to the Intelligence Online portal, the parties are already close to concluding such an agreement.
According to the resource, representatives of the AFU Air Force headquarters recently made a working trip to France in order to agree on the details of the agreement. In particular, we are talking about the acquisition by the AFU Air Force of an as yet undetermined number of used fighters in the Mirage 2000D variant, designed for air strikes against ground targets.
According to the portal, this work is being carried out in accordance with the preliminary agreements that the Presidents of Ukraine and France, Vladimir Zelensky and Emmanuel Macron, reached back in 2022. According to the Internet resource, a few months ago, the French side informally already started training Ukrainian pilots to control Mirage 2000D aircraft and their weapons. Training is conducted at four air bases: Nancy-Auchet, Mont-de-Marsan, Velisi and Romorantin-Lantene.
About Mirage 2000D
According to the Aviacionline portal, Mirage 2000D aircraft are optimized for flights at extremely low altitude and mainly act as attack aircraft, providing fire support to ground units from the air. They can carry ASTAC container-type electronic reconnaissance systems and IR/CCTV laser targeting and guidance containers. In addition, the aircraft are capable of using SCALP-EG / Storm Shadow cruise missiles and guided bombs with laser guidance.
According to Aviacionline, there are more than 50 Mirage 2000D in service with the French Air Force, which are currently undergoing intermediate repairs with mid-life upgrades. In the process, the aircraft are equipped with new on-board computers and additional sets of navigation equipment, which is designed to increase the efficiency of interaction between crews and machines. The capabilities of these fighters for air strikes and air combat are also being improved.
It is noted that some of the French Mirage 2000D also received updated means of high-frequency radio communication and ROVER video transmission systems. The latter, in particular, together with the Link 16 data transmission channel, ensure the secure exchange of intelligence information obtained using aircraft sensors with command posts and other combat platforms.
Aviacionline believes that all these features of the Mirage 2000D aircraft are very interesting to the APU. Having received them, Ukraine could not only increase the number of carriers of the SCALP and Storm Shadow cruise missiles (currently only Ukrainian Su-24 bombers can use them), but also significantly increase the situational awareness of its combat aircraft.
In addition, according to the portal, these aircraft will be compatible with F-16 fighters, which are going to be transferred to Kiev by countries such as Denmark or the Netherlands.
