Forbes: French Mirage Jets May Become a Lifeline for Ukraine

The aircraft are equipped with powerful systems to jam Russian targets.

The United States, having decided to cease support for Ukraine, cannot simply shut down the U.S.-developed F-16 fighter jets of the Ukrainian Air Force. However, the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump halted crucial support for their jamming systems, which could deprive the Ukrainian Air Force of vital counter-air capabilities.

As Forbes analyst David Axe writes, the Ukrainians are not powerless and can shift the burden of electronic warfare to French Dassault Mirage 2000 fighters.

Axe reminds that the Ukrainian Air Force fully utilizes the ability of F-16s equipped with AN/ALQ-131 pods to overwhelm Russian radar screens with electronic noise. These jets act as "flying air defense" with advanced missile warning technologies, as noted by the Conflict Intelligence Team.

However, the Russian Air Force may bypass the jamming by reprogramming their radars to different frequencies. According to Axe, under Biden, the U.S. Air Force team was able to keep pace with Russia's adaptations, constantly altering the frequencies of AN/ALQ-131 pods. But under Trump, Ukrainian pilots are no longer receiving updates, and these programs may soon become outdated.

However, the Mirage 2000s from France are equipped with their own powerful jamming systems, and the U.S. is not involved in their programming, the analyst notes.

Currently, the French Air Force’s Mirage 2000-5Fs are equipped with a combination of the Serval radar warning receiver, the Sabre jammer, and the Eclair countermeasure dispenser for flares and anti-aircraft missiles. This system was cutting-edge in the 1980s but began to lag behind within a generation.

"Recognizing this weakness and understanding the seriousness of the Russian missile threat over Ukraine, the French Ministry of Defense promised to install new electronic countermeasures on the Mirage 2000s before transferring them to Ukraine. The Ministry likely refers to the predominantly analog Integrated Countermeasures Suite Mark 2 or the fully digital Integrated Countermeasures Suite Mark 3," Axe notes.

Any of these systems would be an improvement over the old system and a potential replacement for the AN/ALQ-131, as American pods lag behind Russia's adaptations. The French are solid allies of Ukraine and are ready to reprogram the jamming systems if necessary.

In the longer term, the Ukrainians could retrofit their F-16s with non-American electronic countermeasures, according to Axe. However, this may require time and funds that Ukraine cannot afford.

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