Just under a year ago, BulgarianMilitary.com reported that Ukraine was set to receive Dassault Mirage 2000 fighters from France, based on French sources. This speculation turned into reality on June 6 when French President Emmanuel Macron confirmed the transfer. He announced that France will be providing Mirage 2000-5 fighter jets to Ukraine, manufactured by Dassault, and will also take on the training of Ukrainian pilots in France.
Additionally, nearly six months before the French parliament debated providing fighter jets to Ukraine, French publication La Figaro broke significant news. They reported that approximately 30 Ukrainian pilots received expedited training to operate the Mirage 2000 fighters. This training was conducted at two French air bases: Mont-de-Marsan and Nancy.
The buzz around the potential delivery of Mirage 2000 fighter jets to Ukraine started well before the discussions took off in September. Back in March 2023, Intelligence Online [IO] conducted an investigation, revealing that Ukraine hopes to receive at least 40 Mirage 2000 jets. According to the report, the potential suppliers include the United Arab Emirates [UAE], Indonesia, and Greece.
At that point, the topic of providing F-16s to Ukraine was still off-limits. It was during this period that France signaled its readiness to donate Mirage 2000 fighters. However, three main criteria needed to be evaluated first: the utility and effectiveness of these jets for Ukraine’s military, the risk of escalation, and the potential impact on France’s own defense capabilities.
According to BulgarianMilitary.com, French President Emmanuel Macron had already directed the Ministry of Defense to assess the feasibility of providing combat aircraft to Ukraine at the start of 2023. It was officially confirmed by Paris that Kyiv had submitted a request for these fighter jets.
The signals from Kyiv
Earlier this year, General Mykola Oleschuk, head of the Ukrainian Air Force, suggested the Mirage 2000D could potentially be transferred to Ukraine.
In a related discussion with Libération, General Kirilo Budanov, head of intelligence, highlighted his desire for France to aid Ukraine with air support. He remarked, “I hope that France will provide us with the air support we urgently need. Ukrainian pilots are among the best in the world due to their extensive combat experience. They will have no trouble adapting to this new technology. I am optimistic that the French Republic will supply us with these aircraft” [Mirage 2000D, editor’s note].
Meanwhile, Francois Le Monde argues that Ukraine might encounter challenges operating multiple types of combat aircraft. He contends that Ukraine should focus on the F-16, as the Mirage 2000D comes with additional hurdles like maintaining operational status and building the necessary infrastructure. Moreover, rigorous pilot training could take six to eight months and require support from navigators and maintenance personnel.
From Paris to Athens
Reports suggest that the UAE and Indonesia may be donating Mirage 2000 jets to Ukraine. Yet, it’s Greece that catches the eye. After French President Macron’s June 6 speech, it’s worth noting Greece’s move back in February. Greece is actively seeking funds to acquire at least six more Dassault Rafale fighters and is willing to sell its Mirage 2000 jets to raise money.
Greek newspaper I Kathimeriní shared that Athens plans to sell these retired aircraft to India. The Indian Air Force [IAF], which has been looking to bolster its Mirage 2000 fleet for the past four years, expressed interest in acquiring an additional 24 units in 2021.
Right now, Athens finds itself in a favorable position. India emerges as a potential buyer for the Greek Mirages, and Macron’s speech has opened the door for a possible barter deal with an extra payment from Greece to secure the needed Rafales.
The Dassault Mirage 2000 is a jet fighter made by the French company Dassault Aviation. It’s a fourth-generation plane with one engine that can perform many roles. The plane is around 14.36 meters long, has a wingspan of 9.13 meters, and stands 5.2 meters tall. Its wing area is about 41 square meters, which helps it perform well in various combat situations.
The Mirage 2000 uses a single SNECMA M53-P2 turbofan engine. This engine can produce up to 95.1 kN of thrust with an afterburner, allowing the plane to fly at speeds up to Mach 2.2
Photo credit: CNAThe plane’s delta-wing design gives it great lift and maneuverability. It can take off with a maximum weight of 17,000 kilograms and has a combat radius of about 1,550 kilometers with extra fuel tanks. Its fly-by-wire control system makes it stable and easy to handle, even during difficult maneuvers.
Inside Mirage 2000
The Mirage 2000 is packed with high-tech systems to boost its combat performance. It has the Thales RDY-2 radar for tracking and engaging multiple targets and the SAGEM Sigma 95N for navigation. You’ll also find a heads-up display [HUD], multifunction displays [MFDs], and an advanced electronic warfare suite to protect the aircraft.
Photo: Savvas Savvaidis
The systems on the Mirage 2000 use advanced technology. This includes the ICMS Mk2 system for electronic countermeasures [ECM] and radar warnings. It also has the DAMOCLES pod for precision bombing and the Litening pod for better targeting and reconnaissance.
The Mirage 2000 is armed with many weapons to handle different missions. It can carry air-to-air missiles like the MBDA MICA and Magic II and air-to-ground bombs like the GBU-12 Paveway II and AS-30L missiles. It also has a 30mm twin-barrel cannon for close combat and ground attacks.
Air superiority missions
Photo credit: PixabayThe Mirage 2000 is highly effective in air superiority missions. Its advanced avionics, agility, and powerful radar make it an excellent choice for gaining control of the skies. This capability is crucial for establishing air dominance in contested environments.
In addition to air superiority, the Mirage 2000 excels in precision strike missions. Equipped with a variety of guided munitions, it can accurately target and destroy enemy infrastructure, command centers, and other high-value assets, minimizing collateral damage.
The aircraft is also well-suited for close air support operations. Its ability to deliver precise firepower in support of ground troops makes it invaluable in scenarios where friendly forces are engaged with enemy combatants, providing critical support to ensure mission success.
***
Follow us everywhere and at any time. BulgarianMilitary.com has responsive design and you can open the page from any computer, mobile devices or web browsers. For more up-to-date news, follow our Google News, YouTube, Reddit, LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook pages. Our standards: Manifesto & ethical principles.
Ukraine Hits Russian Patrol Boats & Petroleum Tanks in Black Sea
Satellite imagery and video footage appear to confirm reports of two separate Ukrainian attacks on Russian assets in the Black Sea last week: a drone boat strike in western Crimea, and a missile strike on a petroleum facility at the port of Kavkaz.
On Thursday, Ukraine's General Staff claimed credit for an ATACMS missile strike on the port of Kavkaz. According to pro-Ukraine accounts, residents of Kavkaz reported up to 10 explosions in a row overnight Wednesday; bystander imagery appeared to corroborate a series of explosions and fires at the facility, but the authenticity of the footage could not be immediately confirmed.
Satellite imagery obtained by Radio Free Liberty (a U.S. government-funded news outlet) appears to show limited damage to a tank farm at the port.
The Ukrainian military also claims to have damaged two vessels that were used for Russian military logistics. The satellite imagery appears to show that two vessels that were present at the pier in Kavkaz before the date of the alleged attack have now departed.
Kavkaz is Russia's fifth-busiest port in cargo turnover, and the second-busiest Russian port in the Black Sea area (after Novorossiysk). It is also home to an unusual nine-car rail ferry crossing, connecting to Russian-occupied Crimea on the opposite side of the Kerch Strait.
Separately, Ukraine's defense ministry claimed another successful drone strike on the Black Sea Fleet, this time in the northwestern Black Sea. The targets this time were smaller in scale - two Tuna-class patrol boats - but the outcome appeared to favor Ukrainian forces. Footage released by Ukrainian intelligence shows the drones approaching the Russian patrol vessels under fire, dodging tracers on their way to making contact with the vessels' hulls. Ukraine's "Group 13" drone boat task force claimed to have damaged two of the patrol vessels and destroyed two more.
After damage or destruction of at least 15 full-size Russian warships, the once-powerful Black Sea Fleet has retreated to the relative safety of Novorossiysk, a Russian harbor in the northeastern Black Sea. The small Tuna-class patrol craft are among the few targets left on the west side of Crimea, where Ukraine has concentrated its efforts.
No comments:
Post a Comment