In this story, the situation appears as follows – the United Arab Emirates possesses 30 surplus Mirage 2000-9 aircraft, which could potentially serve as carriers for the Black Shaheen cruise missiles, the export version of the air-launched SCALP-EG missiles.
The UAE is currently seeking buyers for these aircraft, with the deal expected to involve France. However, the whole situation seems so convoluted that it raises the question of whether it wouldn’t be simpler for these planes to be directly transferred to Ukraine.
As noted by the French portal Opex360, there is a circulating theory that the UAE might sell these 30 Mirage 2000-9 aircraft to Morocco, and interestingly, France is the one initiating this potential deal, aiming to strengthen its geopolitical ties with the Moroccan government.
At the same time, the uncertainty surrounding this "aviation" narrative is highlighted by the fact that a few weeks ago, information began to circulate suggesting that Morocco might purchase Rafale jets from France. However, this turned out to be mere rumors, as there were no hints regarding "Rafales" during Macron’s official visit to Morocco.
Nevertheless, amidst this context, new rumors emerged suggesting that the King of Morocco made a private visit to the United Arab Emirates, possibly to discuss a potential deal regarding the Mirage 2000-9.
However, there is a nuance here – the UAE has repeatedly emphasized that they would be ready to sell their "Mirages" no earlier than 2027, as that is when the first Rafale F4, ordered from France under a contract signed back in late 2021, is expected to arrive.
This leads to the conclusion that in this scenario, the most fervent desire to sell these 30 surplus Mirage 2000-9 aircraft actually comes from France, even though these planes do not belong to them; Paris seems eager to execute this sale primarily for its own geopolitical interests.
In light of this, it becomes evident that if the situation is indeed so complicated, it would be better for France to allocate these aircraft as assistance to Ukraine, in one form or another.