Ukraine is expected to soon add French Dassault Rafale fighter jets to its Air Force, advancing the process of modernising its military fleet and gradually replacing Soviet-era aircraft.
On July 14, France announced that it would send four of the 16 Rafale jets pledged to Ukraine once Ukrainian pilots and technical personnel have completed the relevant training programme. Training is expected to begin in 2026.
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The Rafale, which entered service with the French Armed Forces in 2001, is a multirole aircraft capable of conducting both air-to-air and air-to-ground operations, during the day and at night. It has been deployed in several international military missions and ranks among the most sophisticated fighter jets in the world.
With the introduction of this model, Ukraine’s military aviation will operate eight types of fighter aircraft manufactured in four different countries. Alongside Soviet aircraft, which still make up the bulk of the fleet, Ukraine has already received US-made F-16s and French Mirage 2000s. Meanwhile, Swedish Gripens are expected to enter service at the beginning of next year.
According to experts, operating such a wide range of aircraft creates considerable challenges in training, maintenance and logistics. Christoph Bergs, an analyst at the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI), describes this as a transitional period towards Kyiv’s long-term goal of completely phasing out Soviet aircraft and replacing them with Western technology.
The Rafale is also considered among the most expensive aircraft on the market. Depending on the configuration and support package, the value of a single aircraft can reach up to $250 million. One hour of flight costs between $16,000 and $31,000.
In the long term, Ukraine aims to purchase 100 Rafale aircraft. Financing is expected to be secured through a €90 billion loan from the European Union, as well as other sources that Kyiv and Paris have agreed to use.
