The Ukrainian Air Force released footage on November 17, 2025, showing a French-supplied Mirage 2000-5F fighter jet on a combat mission, which involved intercepting six Russian Kh-101 cruise missiles. France delivered these multirole jets earlier in 2025 to strengthen Ukraine’s air defenses against Russian attacks.
In Paris, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed a letter of intent to purchase up to 100 Dassault Rafale fighters, drones, and SAMP/T air defense systems from France.
Ukraine will acquire up to 100 French-made Rafale warplanes over the next decade under a deal signed on Monday, according to both countries, as Kyiv seeks to bolster its defences against Russia’s invasion.
Air defence systems, munitions and drones were also included in the letter of intent signed by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron in front of one of the jets and both their flags.
“It will be the greatest air defence, one of the greatest in the world,” Zelenskiy told reporters at the event at France’s Villacoublay military airport. Shares in Dassault, which makes the jets, rose sharply on the news and were 8% higher at 1245 GMT.
AIM FOR LONGER-TERM SUPPORT
The announcement comes after a surge of Russian drone and missile attacks on Ukraine in recent weeks, and Moscow’s reports of ground advances in the southeastern Zaporizhzhia region.
The letter of intent was a political commitment, rather than a purchase deal, which would come later, the Elysee said. The aim was to finance it with EU programmes and the planned use of frozen Russian assets, which the EU still has to agree.
It covered new material rather than transfers from French stocks, the Elysee added.
“We’re planning Rafales, 100 Rafales – that’s huge. That’s what’s needed for the regeneration of the Ukrainian military,” Macron told LCI TV.
The aim was to help Ukraine in the short term with drones, drone interceptors and other gear – and also in the longer term to allow it to fight off any new incursion once there is a peace deal, he added.
The deal includes the acquisition of the new generation of the SAMP/T air-defence batteries, which is currently being developed, and AASM Hammer air-to-surface munitions, both sides said.
There have been discussions for several weeks on how France could provide additional military support for Ukraine’s air defences. However, questions have arisen about the extent to which Macron’s government can deliver, given its current political and budgetary instability.
France, along with Britain, has pushed for the creation of a coalition of about 30 countries willing to send troops and assets to Ukraine or along its western borders once a peace deal with Russia is agreed.
Operating the advanced Rafale jets would take time, given the rigorous training programme for pilots.
Eight SAMP/T anti-air missile to be delivered soon
Ukraine will receive eight SAMP/T medium-range air defense systems from France under a new bilateral agreement, according to a report by Militarnyi.
The transferred systems will feature updated and enhanced performance characteristics, including the integration of new-generation Aster missiles.
Each system will include six launchers, bringing the total number of launchers pledged to Ukraine to 48.
French and Italian military engineers are currently finalizing development of the next-generation SAMP/T NG, which is expected to form the backbone of future air defense frameworks for both countries and export partners.
The SAMP/T system, already in service with the French Air and Space Force and the Italian Army, is designed to intercept a broad range of aerial threats including fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, drones, and cruise missiles. It provides medium-range coverage and can operate as part of a multi-layered defense architecture.
The latest missile variant associated with the system is the Aster 30 Block 1 NT, which is capable of intercepting medium-range ballistic missiles and hypersonic threats. French and Italian defense officials previously conducted a successful test launch of the new missile, demonstrating its ability to engage high-speed targets.
According to the report, “The new missile can destroy targets at altitudes up to 25,000 meters and within a radius of 150 kilometers, and it is effective against targets flying at speeds over Mach 5.”
The enhanced Aster 30 B1NT is set to be integrated into the upgraded SAMP/T NG system and adapted for use in naval air defense platforms, which are also undergoing modernization.
For Ukraine, the delivery of SAMP/T systems comes amid continued efforts to strengthen its multi-tiered air defense network against Russian missile and drone attacks. The systems are expected to provide medium-altitude coverage over key infrastructure and urban areas, complementing shorter-range interceptors and longer-range Western systems already in use.
The SAMP/T battery is built around an Arabel multifunction radar, a vertical launch module, and a command and coordination post. It can be configured to defend mobile formations or fixed sites, and its open architecture allows for rapid integration with NATO command and control systems.
The transfer of these systems marks one of the largest known European contributions of high-end air defense assets to Ukraine.
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