France has begun training Ukrainian pilots for Rafale fighter jets
Kyiv • UNN
France is training the first Ukrainian pilots for Rafale jets, which it may transfer to Ukraine. The first four aircraft are expected after the completion of training.
France has begun preparing the first Ukrainian pilots to fly French Rafale fighter jets ahead of their possible transfer to Ukraine. This was reported by Le Parisien, citing Benjamin Haddad, France’s Minister Delegate for European Affairs at the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs, UNN reports.
Details
"We are currently negotiating with the Ukrainians over the delivery of Rafales, which will be flown not by French but by Ukrainian pilots," Benjamin Haddad said, adding that Paris has already "begun work on training these pilots."
The training process for military aviators follows the traditional Air Force pathway.
First, pilots train on Grob G-120TP light trainer aircraft, then move on to advanced Dornier Alpha Jet trainers, and only after that master complex fighter jets.
Ukraine may receive the first four aircraft immediately after completing this training course.
In July, France and Ukraine announced the conclusion of a "road map" outlining the acquisition of 16 Rafale fighter jets and weapons for them.
In addition, a letter of intent signed in November 2025 provides for the possible expansion of the order to 100 fighter jets over the next decade.
At the same time, aerospace analysts note that the project remains shrouded in uncertainty.
No firm contract has yet been signed between the parties, while the 2028–2029 timeframe is extremely tight given Dassault Aviation’s current production capacity of three aircraft per month.
The cost and financing structure of the deal also remain uncertain.