Will France supply fighter jets to Ukraine? The question remains open, but to prepare for this eventuality, “military air personnel” are being trained on Mirage 2000-D in Mont-de-Marsan and Nancy, the Ministry of the Armed Forces confirmed. figaro. During the month of February, immediately after Volodymyr Zelensky’s visit to Paris, some thirty technicians would have joined these two air bases to discover the mechanics and technologies that equip the French fighter-bomber.
The training of the pilots has not yet started, however, the ministry specified. But according to Xavier Tytelman, an aeronautics and weapons expert, it may have already been launched to be ready to supply planes when the time comes. This specialist revealed to us in February that France has been training Ukrainian soldiers for several months even on systems that have not yet been provided, possibly including combat aircraft.
F-16, Mirage and Gripen
Since the beginning of the year, the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelensky, has been asking for combat planes to counter the offensives that the Russians intend to carry out in the spring. The positions of kyiv’s allies are extremely nuanced. Joe Biden said “no!” while at the same time Yuri Ignat, a spokesman for the Ukrainian Air Force, revealed that the pilots had traveled to the United States to be trained on the F-16.
In Germany, Chancellor Olaf Scholz stood his ground in January, saying that “the question of fighter planes does not even arise.” Things can change. Berlin did not want to send tanks to the Ukraine before promising to provide several dozen.
But for France, the Netherlands or the United Kingdom, this eventuality has never been “a taboo”. In February, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said he was ready to accede to kyiv’s request. The same goes for British Prime Minister Rishi Sunnak, who during Ukrainian President Zelensky’s visit to the UK announced the start of a training program for Ukrainian pilots without specifying what type of aircraft.
The ammunition emergency
Meanwhile, Poland and Slovakia have already announced shipments of MiG-29s, devices mastered by Ukrainian pilots. But for kyiv, the urgency is to get Western devices. In an interview with the Spanish newspaper El País, Yuri Ignat said that his goal was to obtain F-16s, Rafales and JAS-39 Gripens.
For France, the Rafale gift is definitely out. But he has a dozen Mirage 2000-Ds in combat condition. Recently, during a hearing in the Senate, Sébastien Lecornu, Minister of the Armed Forces, had acknowledged ongoing “discussions” “with the Ukrainians about planes and training” by recalling that the urgency lies in sending ammunition, especially 155 rounds. mm. .
Source: BFM TV
