Dassault Mirage 2000-5FU - The Ukrainian Mirage: Strikes Unseen Over The Sunflower Fields.

Merkko · August 30, 2026, 2:29pm

Would you like to see this aircraft in-game?

Yes
No

0 voters

Dassault Aviation Mirage 2000-5FU

(Dassault Aviation Mirage 2000-5 France-Ukraine)

- French modification of Mirage 2000-5F for Ukrainian needs -

- BASIC DESCRIPTION -

Mirage 2000-5FU - is a specialized modification of the French Mirage 2000-5F, designed specifically for the needs of the Ukrainian Air Force. It was developed rapidly by France’s military procurement agency, the DGA (Direction générale de l’armement), following France’s commitment to supply combat aircraft to Ukraine.

ㅤNatively, the Mirage 2000-5F is a pure air defense interceptor, lacking strike capabilities. Ukraine required a platform capable of both roles, serving as both an air-defense fighter and a long-range striker. Therefore, the aircraft underwent a modernization allowing it to carry rocket-assisted AASM Hammer bombs and SCALP-EG long-range cruise missiles. Additionally, the jet received several other improvements, such as enhanced electronic warfare (EW) capabilities and the removal of its fixed aerial refueling probe, which was dead weight since Ukraine does not operate a tanker fleet.

ㅤThe full extent of the modernization has not been disclosed by France or Ukraine for operational security, and officially there is no specific name for the aircraft. The abbreviation Mirage 2000-5F(U) or Mirage 2000-5FU (with FU standing for France-Ukraine) has been widely adopted by French defense media and observers as a convenient shorthand for Ukraine’s custom multirole variant.

- HISTORY -

Spoiler

Part 1: Initial Hesitance to Western Commitments

ㅤThe Dassault Mirage 2000 is a legendary fourth-generation delta-wing fighter that has formed the backbone of the French Air and Space Force for decades. The 2000-5F variant was specifically developed in the 1990s as a dedicated air superiority fighter for the French Air Force. For years, these aircraft protected French airspace and participated in NATO air policing missions.

ㅤFollowing the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the Ukrainian Air Force relied heavily on its legacy Soviet fleet, which was gradually adapted to carry Western weapons. As attrition mounted and the need for more advanced aircraft grew, Ukraine sought Western fighters.

ㅤWestern allies initially showed strong reluctance to provide combat aircraft to Ukraine. NATO partners feared that supplying advanced Western fighters could escalate the conflict into a direct NATO-Russia confrontation. Beyond geopolitical concerns, Western defense officials pointed to the months-long training pipelines, logistical complexities, and infrastructure demands required to operate modern Western platforms.

ㅤFormer Warsaw Pact nations, most notably Poland and Slovakia, were the first to step in throughout 2022 and 2023 with deliveries of MiG-29s and Su-25s. While these deliveries replaced combat losses and allowed Ukrainian technicians to cannibalize parts for repairs, Soviet-era airframes remained vulnerable to modern Russian air defenses and faced extreme structural fatigue from relentless flight hours.

ㅤThe formal breakthrough occurred at the NATO Vilnius Summit on July 11, 2023, when an international “Aviation Coalition” (nicknamed “Ocean’s 11”) was formed, led by the Netherlands and Denmark alongside Belgium, Norway, and others. The coalition pledged dozens of F-16AM Fighting Falcons and established pilot training pipelines across Europe and North America.

ㅤWhile the F-16 coalition gained momentum, France launched a parallel effort to bolster Ukraine’s defense. Therefore, on June 6, 2024, during the D-Day 80th anniversary commemorations in Normandy, French President Emmanuel Macron officially announced during a live interview that France would deliver Mirage 2000-5F combat aircraft to Ukraine and train Ukrainian aircrews in France.

image1199×674 151 KB

President Zelensky and Macron at D-Day 80th anniversary commemorations in Normandy

Part 2: Preparations for the Delivery of the Mirage

ㅤ The aircraft promised by France were drawn from a small operational fleet of just 26 Mirage 2000-5F jets maintained by the French Air and Space Force. In order to make the aircraft viable for a high-intensity war where Ukraine needed an aircraft that could serve as both an air-defense fighter and a long-range striker, France had to completely overhaul the jets. The task was undertaken by the General Directorate of Armaments of France (DGA, Direction Générale de l’Armement) at Cazaux Air Base in southwestern France.

ㅤEngineers modified the avionics and suspension systems, enabling it to deploy French-supplied AASM “Hammer” precision-guided bombs and SCALP-EG long-range cruise missiles. To reduce weight and improve pilot visibility, the fixed aerial refueling probe was removed (a redundant feature given Ukraine’s lack of a tanker fleet). Finally, to maximize survivability in highly contested skies, the jets were equipped with upgraded electronic warfare systems

ㅤConcurrently, Ukrainian pilots transferred from Sukhoi Su-27 units underwent an intensive six-month conversion course at Nancy Air Base in France, while technical staff and ground personnel completed parallel maintenance training.

image1600×533 94.1 KB

Ukrainian pilots at Mirage conversion course

ㅤ Due to operational security, Ukraine maintained secrecy surrounding the deployment of the jets. The public first learned of the program’s progress in December 2024, when the first group of Ukrainian pilots completed training. On February 6, 2025, French Defense Minister Sébastien Lecornu officially confirmed the delivery of the first batch of 6 modified Mirage 2000 fighters to Ukraine.

Part 3: Frontline Deployment, Accomplishments, and Combat Loss

ㅤThe Ukrainian Air Force introduced the Mirage 2000-5FU into combat on March 7, 2025, when the aircraft achieved their first aerial victory by intercepting a Russian Kh-101 cruise missile during a massive attack.

ㅤInitially operating in an air-defense role, Ukrainian pilots utilized R550 Magic 2 IR missiles alongside radar-guided and IR MICA missiles to hunt Russian cruise missiles, and 30mm DEFA 554 cannons against low-profile attack drones (such as the Shahed, Geran, and Gerbera). Ukrainian pilots praised the aircraft’s performance, reporting an interception success rate of up to 98% against aerial targets. By November 26, 2025, official Ukrainian Air Force footage showcased a Mirage 2000 featuring six Kh-101 victory markings stenciled beneath its canopy. The operational impact of the Mirage 2000-5FU and F-16AM fleet forced the Russian Air Force to resume Beriev A-50 Mainstay AWACS border patrols and offer bounties for shooting down Western fighters.

image2560×1053 89.4 KB

Picture 1: Mirage 2000-5FU intercepting Russian cruise missile; Picture 2: Six victory marks (of Kh-101) beneath Mirage’s canopy

ㅤOn July 22, 2025, Ukraine suffered its first loss of a Mirage 2000 during an evening operational mission. While Russian state media claimed a shootdown, official Ukrainian Air Force reports confirmed the loss was caused strictly by an internal technical equipment failure. The pilot successfully ejected and was rescued by a search-and-rescue team.

ㅤBy early 2026, the Ukrainian Air Force began employing the modified jets for ground-attack missions. On February 27, 2026, footage was released showing a Ukrainian Mirage 2000 executing its first combat ground strike, dropping two precision AASM Hammer bombs onto Russian positions.

The first documented usage of AASM Hammer on Mirage 2000-5FU, February 27, 2026

Part 4: Future Deliveries

ㅤFollowing bilateral talks on January 27, 2026, between Ukrainian Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov and French Minister of the Armed Forces Catherine Vautrin, France confirmed plans to deliver additional Mirage 2000-5 aircraft alongside air defense missiles (SAMP/T and Crotale). By February 20, 2026, reports indicated that two more Mirage 2000s would be delivered to Ukraine by the end of the first quarter of 2026.

Mirage 2000-5FU in the Ukrainian skies

- MORE IN DETAIL -

P.S. It is important to note that while in War Thunder the Mirage 2000-5F can use guided air-to-ground munitions, in real-life French Air Force service it served purely as an air defense interceptor, with strike missions assigned to dedicated platforms like the Mirage 2000D. The Ukrainian upgrade fixes this limitation, transforming it into a true multirole fighter.

TL;DR. From the above, the principal features of the Mirage 2000-5FU upgrade are:

Integration of precision air-to-ground munitions (AASM Hammer and SCALP-EG), transforming the airframe into a multirole platform.
Removal of the aerial refueling probe to save weight and reduce drag, as it is completely redundant for Ukrainian operations.
Reprogramming and upgrading of the internal Electronic Warfare (EW) suite.
Retention of its potent air-to-air loadout, utilizing the RDY radar alongside MICA EM/IR and Magic 2 missiles.

- RADAR & AVIONICS -

Spoiler

The Mirage 2000-5FU retains the highly capable avionics and sensor suite of the baseline French 2000-5F, ensuring it remains a lethal interceptor while introducing some improvements.

Thales RDY (Radar Doppler Multitarget): A highly advanced mechanically scanned X-band radar featuring true look-down/shoot-down capabilities. It can track up to 8 targets simultaneously and actively engage 4 at once. It is exceptionally effective at detecting and intercepting low-flying threats, such as Russian cruise missiles and Shahed kamikaze drones.

image1253×900 155 KB

Thales RDY (Radar Doppler Multitarget) radar

Glass Cockpit: Retained from the baseline 5F, it features digital multi-function displays (MFDs) and a wide-angle Head-Up Display (HUD), which greatly reduces pilot workload and provides excellent situational awareness.

ICMS Electronic Warfare Suite (Improved): The integrated countermeasures system provides automated threat detection, radar warning, and active jamming. Notably, reports indicate that the aircraft received enhancements to its EW suite to improve the jet’s survivability in the Ukrainian theater. Some sources suggest this may be the ICMS Mk3 system already used on export Mirage 2000 variants. In its latest fully digital version, the system integrates radar and infrared warning sensors alongside active jammers and countermeasures.

Thales ICMS Electronic Warfare Suite

Removal of in-flight refueling probe: Besides internal modifications, the only externally visible difference is the removal of the in-flight refueling probe, as Ukraine does not operate a tanker fleet. This modification saves weight, slightly reduces drag, and improves forward pilot visibility.

- SUSPENDED ARMAMENTS -

Spoiler

Air-to-Air

For its air defense and interception duties, the 2000-5FU retains the air-to-air arsenal of the standard French 5F:

30mm DEFA 554 Cannons: Two internal revolver cannons, each with 125 rounds.

Matra R550 Magic 2: An all-aspect, short-range infrared homing missile.

MICA IR and EM Missiles: Medium-to-long-range, thrust vectoring, Active Radar Homing (MICA-EM) and Infrared (MICA-IR) missiles.

Ukrainian Mirage 2000-5FU with full air-to-air loadout of Magic 2 and MICA missiles

Air-to-Ground

Notably, the Mirage 2000-5FU does not utilize unguided bombs or rockets. France has not supplied compatible unguided munitions, and Ukraine has no intention of integrating post-Soviet unguided weapons onto the airframe. Since aircraft’s intended combat doctrine in Ukraine is operating strictly as an air-defense interceptor and a high-precision, long-range striker.

To achieve strike capability, the 5F airframe was modified to deploy heavy precision munitions. While new to the 5F variant, this integration is not a novel concept for the aircraft family, French Mirage 2000Ds and Greek Mirage 2000-5s have successfully operated SCALP-EG and similar heavy standoff weapons for years.

AASM 250 Hammer: A precision-guided, rocket-assisted bomb, utilizing 250 kg bomb bodies. Uses several warhead variants with different guidance kits such as: SBU-38 - INS/GPS; SBU-54 INS/GPS with IR seeker; SBU-64 INS/GPS with Semi-Active Laser Homing seeker. Its solid-propellant rocket motor allows for low-altitude “pop-up” attacks, hitting targets up to 70 km.

image1200×650 83.4 KB

Modified Mirage 2000-5F with 6x ASMM 250 bombs

SCALP-EG: A heavy, stealthy, air-launched cruise missile mounted on the aircraft’s reinforced centerline pylon. Boasts an operational range in excess of 250 km and carries a 450 kg (990 lb) BROACH tandem bunker-busting warhead.

image1024×770 163 KB

Mirage 2000-5 Mk2 with SCALP-EG cruise missile

Targeting Pod: It remains unknown whether France transferred any laser targeting pods to support the integration of the AASM Hammer on Ukrainian Mirage 2000s. Currently, only a single low-resolution image of an AASM deployment exists, making it difficult to discern if a targeting pod is installed. Should such deliveries be confirmed, the pod would likely be the DAMOCLES type.

image1500×1000 67.2 KB

The first documented usage of AASM Hammer on Mirage 2000-5FU, February 27, 2026

Mirage 2000-5FU with Air-to-Air loadout of 2x Magic 2 IR missiles

- SPECIFICATIONS -

General Info:

Name: Mirage 2000-5FU
Origin: France
Manufacturer: Dassault Aviation / Direction générale de l’armement (DGA)
Year: 2024-2025 (First deliveries to Ukraine in 2025)
Class: Multirole Fighter
Crew: 1

Dimensions:

Wingspan: 9,13 m
Length: 14,33 m
Height: 5,14 m
Wing area: 41 m²
Weight
- Empty weight: 7,500 kg
- Max. Takeoff weight: 17,500 kg

Engine + Performance:

Engine type: 1× SNECMA M53-P2 afterburning turbofan
Thrust
- Max, Dry: 64.3 kN
- Max, With afterburner: 95.1 kN
Maximum speed: Mach 2.2 (2,336 km/h) at high altitude
Range: 1,550 km (with drop tanks)
Max. rate of climb: 285 m/s
Service ceiling: 18,290 m
Max. operating overload: ~ +11G / -5G

Subsystems:

Radar: Thales RDY
Ballistic Computer: CCIP, EEGS, CCRP, SPI and LDR.
HMD: ✓
RWR: ✓ (SERVAL)
NVD: ✓
Thermal imager: ✓
Chaff/Flare dispensers: SPIRALE system (2x internal chaff dispenser tubes (ICD) with 112 charges in total and 2x eternal cartridge dispenser modules (CDM) with ability to carry 36 small caliber charges or 16 large caliber charges in total)
Electronic Warfare Suite: ICMS (presumably modified to ICMS Mk3 standard)

Armaments:

Guns: 2 × 30 mm DEFA 554 (125 rounds per gun)
Combat Load: 9 hardpoints (4 underwing, 5 under fuselage), 6,300 kg max weight.
Suspended Armament:
- Air-to-Air:
  - Matra R550 Magic 2
  - MICA-IR
  - MICA-EM
- Air-to-Ground - Unguided:
  none
- Air-to-Ground - Guided:
  - AASM 250 (SBU 38) Hammer guided bomb
  - AASM 250 (SBU 54) Hammer guided bomb
  - AASM 250 (SBU 64) Hammer guided bomb (Depends if there is access to the targeting pod)
  - SCALP-EG cruise missile
- Other:
  - RPL-541 / RPL-542 Drop tanks (2,000 liters)
  - DAMOCLES targeting pod (Unconfirmed)
Loadout possibilities (as they could look like in WT):

image1092×1165 230 KB

Image gallery:

Spoiler

A few more angles of Mirage 2000-5FU in Ukraine

A Mirage 2000-5FU over Polish skies, en route from France to Ukraine. Note the lack of roundels and markings.

Underbelly of Mirage 2000-5FU

Sources:

Spoiler

Final Words:
I hope you all enjoyed reading this suggestion! I haven’t been writing as many suggestions lately, but moving forward, my focus will mostly be on Ukrainian aviation. I have a few more vehicles in mind, though I can’t guarantee when I’ll get around to finishing them.

As for the Mirage 2000-5FU, it would offer a really interesting combination in-game: the air-to-air capabilities of the Mirage 2000-5F (Magic 2s and MICAs) paired with the air-to-ground strike potential of the Mirage 2000D-RMV (AASM 250s). While it currently lacks unguided ordnance, it could easily receive compatible armaments in War Thunder based on the developers’ discretion. Last but not least, it has the capability to carry SCALP-EG/Storm Shadow cruise missiles. However, these are irrelevant for the time being unless such a mechanic is implemented in War Thunder.

As for where it could go, there are a few valid options: the French tech tree (as its nation of origin), a stand-alone Ukrainian tree, or a Ukrainian sub-tree within, for example: Eastern European tree.

- LIST OF OTHER SUGGESTIONS FOR UKRAINIAN VEHICLES -

ILuvAna_De_Armas · August 30, 2026, 3:07pm

Always +1 for M2K’s

dzej900 · August 30, 2026, 7:14pm

Everything for Britain - people: yes
Soviet stuff for USSR - people: no
At the same time German air tree is like…

_OceanFish · August 30, 2026, 7:53pm

What