Ukraine Wins the Lottery with New France Arms Sale: The name of the game in the war in Ukraine is drone attacks against Russia, and lots of them. The Kremlin also commanded its generals to use loitering kamikaze munitions against Ukraine as well. Lost in the shuffle is the need to promote air supremacy with fighter jets that can help shoot down the bevy of ballistic missiles and drones that are sent in massive flights by each side.
What a Shot in the Arm
Volodymyr Zelensky is excited about the latest news involving a group of fighters that will be heading his way soon. France has offered to sell 16 Dassault Rafale warplanes to Ukraine. This is likely to quench the Ukrainian’s thirst for new jets that could help defend the country from what I call the Kinetic Missile Fight.
July 19, 2008) A French F-2 Dassault Rafale fighter prepares to launch during combined French and American carrier qualifications aboard the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71). This event marks the first integrated U.S. and French carrier qualifications aboard a U.S. aircraft carrier. The Theodore Roosevelt Carrier Strike Group is participating in Joint Task Force Exercise “Operation Brimstone” off the Atlantic coast until the end of July. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Christopher Hall/Released)
(July 20, 2008) Lt. Cmdr. Christopher Biggs shoots a French F-2 Rafale off the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) during combined French and American carrier qualifications. This event marks the first integrated U.S. and French carrier qualifications aboard a U.S. aircraft carrier. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Jonathan Snyder (Released)
France Throws Its Weight Behind Ukraine
French President Emmanuel Macron announced the deal at a news conference early this week. That’s not all that is music to Zelensky’s ears. France will also provide long-range SAMP/T NG air defense batteries with interceptor missiles. The Ukrainian president has wanted additional surface-to-air missile systems and has yearned to get more Patriot missile interceptors for his protective umbrella over cities in Ukraine. The United States will allow Ukraine to make its own Patriot interceptors someday, but the French have stepped up to deliver the goods now.
Help Protect Everyday Ukrainians Who Are Suffering from Nightly Raids
France is also sending radar systems to help the air defenders do their job better. This comes at the right time for Ukraine, which experiences air raid sirens nightly from Russian saturation strikes. These send citizens to shelters and the underground metro stations for protection. With the Rafale fighters and the new SAMs, Ukraine will have a better chance of shielding its people from harm.
“The countries further approved licensing agreements for production in Ukraine of the AASM glide-bomb kit, the Aster 30 air-defense interceptor that arms the SAMP/T system as well as the SCALP/Storm Shadow air-launched cruise missile,” Macron said, according to Defense News.
Valuable Air-launched Cruise Missiles
The SCALP/ Storm Shadow is what will make the Dassault Rafales that much better. The airplanes will be able to fly toward the Russian border and launch the SCALPs at Russian air defense nodes to eliminate their radars and resupply vehicles, not to mention destroying the launchers themselves.
This all adds up to a winning combination for Ukraine. France has been an excellent ally for the Ukrainians and has executed a plan to help the defenders punish the Russian invaders on their home turf.
Macron Is Johnny on the Spot
Macron acknowledged that Ukraine has “anti-ballistic missile needs.” This supply of arms systems is just what Ukraine required to further prosecute the war. With this batch, Ukraine is liable to survive to play the game for several more months as they take the war to Crimea and other regions of Russia outside the top-tier cities.
More European Allies Are Showing Kindness
Other allied countries will help Ukraine with ballistic missile defense. The United Kingdom, Germany, and Norway have joined France in a coalition to help protect Ukraine from Russian attacks. This is an encouraging development for Zelensky as he has begged for help to counter the nightly saturation strikes from enemy drones and missiles.
Sweden Knocks a Home Run
Sweden has also answered the call by making 20 JAS 39 Gripen jets ready for Zelensky and his air force. These will fly well with the Rafales. They will also join with American-provided F-16 fighters that have been instrumental in shooting down ballistic missiles and Shahed drones in the past. Now, Ukraine will have 36 new fighters to strengthen its defensive shield.
JAS 39 Gripen Front and Center. Image Credit: Creative Commons.
That’s not all. Ukraine has agreed to buy up to 100 Rafales and 100 Gripen aircraft from France and Sweden by the end of the year. This could help the Ukrainians win the war once the entire air force is transferred.
Take That Putin
Vladimir Putin is likely fuming. He did not foresee European resolve to continue so deep into the war. The latest NATO summit in Turkey gave a breath of fresh air and renewed momentum for allied efforts to assist Ukraine.
Making an Allied Defense Bubble
With the extra fighter jets and SAMs, Zelensky’s fighter fleet and air defense assets will improve greatly. Russia will still continue strikes, but the Ukrainians will have better means to protect their citizens. NATO allies must be happy they have the wherewithal in their defense industrial base to provide the Ukrainians with such largesse.
Aviators Answer the Call
Now Ukrainian pilots will have to respond. They seem adept at flying fourth-generation fighters such as the F-16. The Gripens are another step up for the defenders, and this airplane is one of the most underrated warbirds in the world. Pilot and ground training for the new Rafales will commence in France immediately.
Let’s see if these new airplanes can make a difference for Ukraine’s air defenses. The new SAMs and SCALP missiles should also help. NATO is standing strong against Russia, and Putin is likely even more frustrated that the European allies are sticking together against a common foe. That’s enough to sting Russia and teach the invaders a lesson in deterrence with a multinational coalition. Moscow can only watch and learn as the world aligns itself against war crimes, tyranny, and injustice.
About the Author: Dr. Brent M. Eastwood
Author of now over 3,500 articles on defense issues, Brent M. Eastwood, PhD, is the author of Don’t Turn Your Back On the World: A Conservative Foreign Policy and Humans, Machines, and Data: Future Trends in Warfare, plus two other books. Brent was the founder and CEO of a tech firm that predicted world events using artificial intelligence. He served as a legislative fellow for US Senator Tim Scott and advised the senator on defense and foreign policy issues. He has taught at American University, George Washington University, and George Mason University. Brent is a former US Army Infantry officer. He can be followed on X @BMEastwood.
