According to the French Internet portal Intelligence Online [IO], "Ukraine hopes to receive at least 40 Mirage 2000-9 fighters. IO's own investigation leads to possible suppliers, among which stand out the names of the United Arab Emirates, Indonesia and Greece," reports a reputable Bulgarian media outlet in defense matters, pointing out:
After a long negotiation process that lasted several weeks, Ukraine hopes to receive about forty Mirage aircraft. Intelligence Online investigates the origins of these,” say the IO editors. Their first shipment will likely take place from the UAE, the French publication also reports.
Claims-statements of French and Ukrainians
Just a few days ago it was reported that Ukrainian pilots are being trained to operate the French Dassault Mirage 2000 fighter jets. According to sources of the famous French publication Le Figaro, the training of Ukrainian pilots takes place at the Mont de Marsan and Nancy air bases.
Sources also claim that the decision to train Ukrainian pilots was made shortly before the official visit of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to France on February 8.
A day later, Paris officially moved to deny the news that Ukrainian pilots were training to fly the Mirage 2000, as did the Ukrainian Defense Ministry.
France's Ministry of Defense, through General Jan Gravet, Deputy Minister of Defense for Information and Communications, said that "we are not training Ukrainian pilots to either fly or use the weapons systems in question."
France does not consider the delivery of Mirage-2000 fighters to Ukraine "taboo". Despite dozens of comments from other European countries about a possible delivery of F-16s, only France expressed a firm opinion on the matter, stating that the delivery of French fighters to Ukraine is not a taboo subject.
However, before any deliveries are undertaken, the French Ministry of Defense will have to consider three main criteria, which are:
The utility and effectiveness of the weapons for the armed forces of Ukraine, the lack of risk of escalation and the weakening of the defense capability of the French military.
According to reliable information already at the beginning of 2023, the French President Mr. Emmanuel Macron ordered the Ministry of Defense of France to carry out an assessment on the possible supply of fighter aircraft to Ukraine, while Paris officially confirmed that Kiev sent a request for the delivery warplanes.
Greek Mirage 2000-5
The Greek M2000-5s are part of the program to acquire a total of 25 aircraft of this type. 15 were acquired from France, while the remaining 10 are PA M2000 aircraft, which were upgraded to M2000-5 at the EAB factory.
The upgrade included the replacement of all electronic equipment and portable weapons, turning it into one of the most capable interceptor aircraft.
Technical characteristics/Performance
Crew: 1
Engine: by pass turbofan SNECMA M53 P2 jet engine with afterburner/Thrust: 9.8 tons (21,400 lbs)
Wingspan: 9.13m
Length: 14.36m
Maximum speed: 2,530 km per hour or Mach 2.2
Maximum height: Over 15,240m. or 50,000 feet
There are a total of nine ordnance pods, which can support 6,300 kg.
The 331 All Weather Squadron
Our Air Force's Mirage 2000-5s belong to the 331st Squadron of the 114th Fighter Wing based in Tanagra.
The Squadron's mission is to maintain a high degree of effectiveness and readiness by properly organizing, training personnel and maintaining the means and systems available, to undertake and successfully conduct air operations whenever required and in accordance with applicable plans.
331 Squadron was established on 18 April 1988, to receive the newly acquired Mirage 2000 EGM/BGM aircraft from the PA. Emblem of Fate is the ancient hero Theseus.
The first aircraft landed at Tanagra Air Base on 27 April 1988 and training of the first Airmen by French instructors immediately began. In a short time the Squadron was staffed by experienced Fighter Pilots, who were selected from various PA Squadrons.
The main role of 331 Squadron is all-weather interception. For this purpose, it has in its arsenal Magic II missiles as well as S-530D which, combined with the ICMS integrated self-protection system, make the Mirage 2000 EGM/Mk-I the most complete deterrent weapon in the Aegean. In addition, in the spring of 1999, one more weapon of superiority is added, the AM-39 EXOCET missile, and now the Squadron also assumes the role of attacking surface targets.
On 1 March 2007 the Squadron began preparations to receive the new Mirage 2000-5 aircraft.
On May 3 of the same year the first M2000-5 ICMS Mk-IIIs landed at 114 AM at Tanagra. This was followed by the start of training of the Greek Airmen by French Airmen of the FAF and DASSAULT so that in May 2008 the operational evaluation of the Squadron was carried out.
The successful course of the Squadron continued as it was upgraded with even more modern weapons such as MICA EM/IR missiles and also the SCALP sub-strategic missile with which it can now attack ground targets at very long distances.
Our assessment is that if and as long as the information that Greece is among the countries that will deliver Mirage-2000-5 to Ukraine is true, there is very little chance that it will take place before the date of the elections on May 21, since according to the French sources will be preceded by delivery from the UAE to Kiev.
However, in order to do so given the rivalry with Turkey, the consequences to our air power in the Aegean that will have and the compensatory benefits that will have to be given to us, in order to maintain and even increase if it is possible our air power.
The compensatory benefits that should be requested from us should, in our view, concern a corresponding dispatch of RAFALE fighters and their ammunition, so that in no case will our air power in the Aegean be reduced even a millimeter.
