France To Start Training Ukrainian Pilots On Rafale Fighter In November
France's armed forces minister said Ukrainian pilots will begin Rafale training from November 2026. The step follows a July roadmap covering 16 jets, SAMP/T NG air defense and licensed production of French munitions in Ukraine.
France will start training Ukrainian pilots on the Rafale fighter in November 2026, Armed Forces Minister Catherine Vautrin told French lawmakers on Oct. 8, according to Defense News. She spoke during a hearing on the 2027 defense budget, in answer to questions about aid for Ukraine.
Vautrin said talks on the combat aviation component, the Rafale in particular, are continuing, and that the first training of Ukrainian pilots on the type begins from November.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had already said in a Telegram post on Oct. 5 that pilots would soon begin training on Rafale aircraft in France. He called it a major step forward for Ukraine's combat aviation and cited a conversation with French President Emmanuel Macron.
In July 2026, Ukraine and France agreed a roadmap that includes a plan for Ukraine to buy 16 Rafale jets together with accompanying weapon systems. Macron said in July that the first Rafale fighter jets are expected to fly in Ukrainian skies in 2028 or 2029.
The Rafale can be equipped tith MBDA's Meteor missile. Analysts say that this is one of the best long-range air-to-air missiles in service with Western militaries. The fighter jet of 4th generation also has a high-end electronic warfare suite and a Thales radar.