Rafales set to peel off and fight for Ukraine as Zelensky orders 100 multi-role jets
Ukraine's air force is to receive a massive boost in its fight against Russia with the purchase of 100 Rafale fighters from France.
"One hundred Rafale jets mark a new step for our industry, for our people," Ukraine's president Volodymyr Zelensky told French media network TF1, declaring it an "historic agreement".
However, president Emmanuel Macron's office did not confirm whether these would be transfers from French stocks or new airframes.
The deal also includes the next-generation SAMP/T medium-range surface-to-air missile system, which is currently in development, and radar systems.
The Ukrainian leader was speaking at Vélizy-Villacoublay Air Base, where he and Mr Macron met defence industry representatives.
"You [France] have a new version of the SAMP/T. We will have the best air defence system, one of the best in the world," Mr Zelensky declared.
The whole deal is expected to run over 10 years and it is unclear when Ukraine will receive the first Rafales.
Before Russia's full-scale invasion, Kyiv operated a variety of Warsaw Pact-era aircraft, much like its enemy, but has been keen to acquire Western warplanes.
These include the General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon and Saab JAS 39 Gripen.
It is also unclear at this stage which version – or versions – of Dassault Rafale Ukraine will be getting.
The Rafale – the name means a gust of wind – is produced for export to countries like Egypt and India, but there are three main versions in French service.
These are the two-seat Rafale B, the single-seat Rafale C and the Rafale M naval version, with the likelihood that most of Kyiv's Rafale fleet will be the C variant.
This jet is similar to the Typhoon, being a twin-engine canard delta wing warplane capable of air-to-air and air-to-ground operations.
Rafales have seen combat in places including Afghanistan, Libya and Mali, and have attacked a number of Islamic State targets.
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