Key Points
- A Ukrainian Mirage 2000 Pilot described the plane’s excessive effectiveness in opposition to Russian drones and missiles, citing a 98% interception charge.
- The Pilot mentioned Ukraine wants extra Western fighter jets and longer-range weapons to counter growing Russian air threats.
A Ukrainian Mirage 2000 Pilot described the plane’s efficiency and the rising want for extra Western assist throughout a uncommon on-camera interview from an operational airfield.
With solely a small variety of Mirage 2000 fighters now serving within the Air Force, the looks of the French-built jet throughout an lively fight sortie supplied a direct take a look at how the platform is getting used in opposition to Russian air threats.
The Pilot mentioned he beforehand flew a Soviet-era fighter earlier than transitioning to the Mirage. “Earlier, I flew the Su-27. Now I Pilot the Mirage 2000. My impressions of the brand new plane are superb,” he mentioned. Standing beside the plane, he defined the fixed stress of working from momentary air bases as a result of ongoing Russian strikes. “We at the moment are at an operational airfield. It is already our third this week. The enemy consistently tries to destroy our gear.”
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He described some of the current missions as happening underneath direct Russian hearth. “The final fight activity passed off underneath shelling — Shaheds, missiles. But thankfully, we managed to take the gear out and save our lives,” he famous.
According to the Pilot, Ukrainian aircrews skilled immediately in France. “I skilled within the French Republic along with French fighter Pilots. For about six months we have been taught to Pilot and use weapons on the Mirage 2000 two-seat coaching plane. Then we switched to the single-seat plane — the very one I’m in now.”
The main weapon seen on the plane was the Magic 2 missile. “This is the Magic 2 missile. It has proven itself very successfully. It has nearly a 100% kill charge,” he mentioned.
According to the Pilot, the jet’s success charge in opposition to Russian drones and missiles is extraordinarily excessive.
“The effectiveness of capturing down enemy drones and missiles on this plane is 98%. These are spectacular numbers.” He mentioned the jet presently carries six kill markings however famous the quantity must be increased. “There are six, however truly many extra. Sometimes we merely wouldn’t have time so as to add the markings.”
Despite the plane’s strengths, he underscored a vital limitation: Ukraine wants longer-range weapons to maintain up with the size of Russian air assaults. “In my opinion, and within the opinion of my comrades, this plane lacks weapons of an extended vary — one thing between effectivity and decrease price, so we will struggle the variety of enemy air-attack property we face.”
He additionally harassed that Ukraine should proceed to broaden its fleet. “We have to develop. We have to get extra new plane, extra new weapons, to have the ability to resist the onslaught of the horde threatening us.”
On the query of future platforms, he mentioned transitioning to extra superior Western jets can be simple. “If I might swap to a different plane higher than the Mirage, I might most likely swap to Rafale. Because it’s an plane of the identical nation. Retraining will probably be a lot sooner.” He added that Rafale’s potential to hold the Meteor beyond-visual-range missile would give Ukrainian Pilots much better instruments in opposition to Russian plane.
He mentioned he would additionally welcome different superior Western fighters. “If I’m supplied one thing just like the F-35, Rafale, Gripen, I might gladly, with out hesitation, swap to this gear.”
He closed by emphasizing one level: Ukrainian Pilots are prepared, however they want Western assist to maintain combating. “We are able to do our job at any time, however the one factor we’d like is assist from our companions in supplying this weaponry and all different weapons they will present us.”
