Jets & Planes but no UAV's here.

[MarkSheppard]

French have quantified more on Mirage 2000-5 for Ukraine; they expect it to enter service in 1Q 2025.

https://kyivindependent.com/france-jets-ukraine/

Ukraine should receive the first Mirage 2000 fighter jets from France in the first quarter of 2025, French Defense Minister Sebastien Lecornu said on Oct. 8.

French President Emmanuel Macron unveiled in June that Paris would provide Kyiv with an unspecified number of Mirage 2000-5 planes to boost its airpower.

The planes "will be equipped with new equipment: air-to-ground combat capabilities and anti-electronic warfare defense," Lecornu noted.

"The training of Ukrainian pilots and mechanics continues."

The first cohort of Ukrainian pilots have completed Alpha Jet training in France, the French Armed Forces announced on Sept. 20.

The Mirage 2000 is a multirole aircraft designed in the late 1970s and introduced in 1984.

The 2000-5 version has upgraded radar systems and can carry fuel drop tanks, greatly increasing its range. The French media previously reported that the version delivered to Ukraine would be equipped to hit ground targets.

[MarkSheppard]

Israel just bombed just about every airfield left with planes in Syria as part of 300+ airstrikes against various targets in Syria.

It's a very good guess that the old Syrian Arab Air Force is now extinct; whatever replaces them won't have the same planes as the old Syrian AF.

[MarkSheppard]

Ukrainians have integrated French AASM-250 Hammer rocket-boosted guided bombs onto their Su-25s (following integration onto Su-27s and MiG-29s), giving their Su-25s a standoff strike capability.

[DRG]

The Ukrainian OOB already had a plethora of LGM to choose from and it's getting tight for space AND unit 159 has 8 of them with a 200 hex range though admittedly they aren't the biggest bang LGBs but unit 157 does

We never, ever expected the Ukrainian OOB to be filled up but it's getting close but I think the end to this conflict will be sooner rather than later

[MarkSheppard]

China just unveiled a possible three engine very long range heavy strike fighter flyable demonstrator similar to the FB-22/FB-23 concepts from 20 years ago.

https://www.twz.com/air/china-stuns-...den-appearance

tons of pictures there.

[Pibwl]

Small tweak:
Oob74 Malaysia

272 MB-339AM - according to Polish nTW 1/2024 article, grounded in 2018 and withdrawn in 2021 (now ends in 110)

[MarkSheppard]

https://x.com/NOELreports/status/188...rc=twsrc%5Etfw

BREAKING: Minister of the French Armed Forces Sébastien Lecornu announced that the first Mirage 2000-5F fighters have been delivered to Ukraine.

"With Ukrainian pilots trained for several months in France on board, they will now participate in defending Ukraine's sky," he added.

[DRG]

Originally Posted by MarkSheppard

https://x.com/NOELreports/status/188...rc=twsrc%5Etfw

I had it in the working copy of the Ukraine OOB already and was only 1 month off in my guesstimate start date

OTOH the report from Feb 6 says "they have been" so they may have been there in Jan as I had them but I will leave it as Feb 2025 start

[FASTBOAT TOUGH]

Bulgaria and Slovakia have both received NEW build versions of the F-16 BLK70 single seat versions. Bulgaria also on 31 JAN just got their FIRST F-16 BLK70 twin seat version. I do not know if it is equipped with any enhanced ground attack capability like ours have. They should have TI/GSR 40.

BULGERIA/ADD/F-16 BLK70/START/JAN 2025/PLUS/SLOVAKIA/ADD/F-16 BLK70/START/APR 2024/VISION/TI/GSR 40. // Allowing 3 months Acceptance Inspections/ Training/Maintenace/Paint . Both versions can carry all NATO compatible weapons with full ground attack systems installed.

Can provide further refs if needed but it was a bit of a F-ing Day and I'm tired.
https://www.flightglobal.com/defence...ent=newsletter
https://www.flightglobal.com/fixed-w...156428.article

[Pibwl]

Romania

Acquired C-27 Spartan, delivered from 4/10, I don't known when operational. Might be copied from Italian 599 C-27J Spartan - but the icon in the Italian unit should be changed to 2774 (now it is rather An-26).
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alenia_C-27J_Spartan

591 Antonov-24 - proper name An-24 - according to Polish article, withdrawn in 7/07 (now 12/98)

592 Antonov-26 - proper name An-26, icon should be 2170, like Antonov-24 (especially that they are grey https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/F..._(cropped).jpg )
Still used in 2010, reportedly one in service in 2023
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antonov_An-26

(595 Lockheed C-130 - first two were delivered in late 10/96 (now from 1/96), so 11/96 is more realistic date.)