Ukraine has outlined the scale of a new defence framework with France that could see Kyiv acquire up to 100 Rafale F4 combat aircraft, next-generation SAMP/T air defence systems and a range of associated munitions and technologies by 2035.
In a message on social media following talks with President Emmanuel Macron, Zelenskyy said the document signed in France gives Ukraine the possibility to procure equipment from France’s defence industrial and technological base. The package covers combat aviation, ground-based air defence and joint industrial projects in the drone and high-technology sectors.
According to Zelenskyy, the framework provides for the potential delivery of up to 100 Rafale F4 fighter jets for Ukraine’s air force by 2035, as well as SAMP/T air defence systems, air-defence radars, air-to-air missiles and aerial bombs. Separate reporting from Ukrainian and French sources indicates that the air defence component envisages eight SAMP/T batteries, each with six launchers, alongside “very strong” French radar assets.
French and Ukrainian officials describe the document as a long-term framework or letter of intent rather than a single, immediate purchase contract. It opens the way for subsequent binding agreements that would specify quantities, financing and delivery schedules over roughly a decade. Macron has said that the expectation is for 100 Rafale aircraft in total, presenting the figure as part of a broader effort to regenerate Ukraine’s post-war air force and to support the French aerospace sector.
The Rafale F4 is a 4.5-generation multirole fighter produced by Dassault Aviation and already in service with the French armed forces and several export customers. It is capable of air-to-air and air-to-surface missions, including deep-strike and reconnaissance, and can carry a wide range of precision-guided munitions. Defence analysts note that a fleet of 100 aircraft would represent a substantial capability for Ukraine but that the extended timeline to 2035 reflects production capacity, training requirements and infrastructure demands.
On ground-based air defence, Macron confirmed that Ukraine will be the first country to receive the new-generation SAMP/T system, which is still under development. SAMP/T, a Franco-Italian system using Aster missiles, is designed to counter aircraft, cruise missiles and some ballistic threats at long range and high altitude. The next-generation version, SAMP/T NG, is expected to feature upgraded radar and battle-management components. Ukraine has already deployed an earlier configuration of SAMP/T, supplied jointly by France and Italy in 2023, and has repeatedly requested further long-range systems to counter Russian missile and drone attacks.
Zelenskyy also highlighted provisions for closer industrial cooperation. From this year, Ukrainian and French companies are expected to begin joint projects on interceptor drones and on critical technologies and components that could be integrated into Ukrainian-produced unmanned systems. Industry reports suggest the framework includes options for technology transfer and potentially for elements of aircraft production to be located in Ukraine, although details have not yet been made public.
The French agreement follows a similar long-term arrangement reached with Sweden in October, under which Ukraine may acquire between 100 and 150 Gripen E fighter jets, with partial localisation of production. Taken together, the French and Swedish tracks point to a future Ukrainian air force built primarily around European-manufactured platforms, supported by joint production and maintenance facilities intended to operate for decades after the current phase of the war.
These long-range plans sit alongside Ukraine’s immediate efforts to stabilise its air-defence network, which relies on a mix of legacy Soviet systems and Western-supplied batteries such as Patriot and NASAMS. Analysts have warned that shortages of interceptor missiles, particularly from the United States, pose risks to the sustainability of Ukraine’s existing air-defence posture, prompting Kyiv to seek additional European-sourced systems and munitions that are less dependent on US stocks.
The timescale of the Rafale and SAMP/T projects means that their full impact will be felt over the medium to long term rather than in the current winter campaign. Implementing the framework will require significant investment in pilot training, ground crew, air-base infrastructure, simulator facilities and logistics chains, as well as adaptations to Ukraine’s command-and-control architecture to integrate new systems with existing assets. European industry will also need to balance Ukrainian orders with commitments to other customers at a time of generally rising demand.
For France, the agreement strengthens its position as a major supplier of advanced air capabilities in Europe and aligns with Macron’s calls for Europeans to take greater responsibility for their own security and for support to Ukraine. For Kyiv, the document marks another step in locking in long-term security relationships with European partners and in shifting its armed forces towards equipment that is interoperable with NATO standards. The eventual acquisition of Rafale fighters and SAMP/T NG systems, if fully realised, would represent one of the largest European-to-European combat aviation arrangements of recent years and a significant element of Ukraine’s post-war force planning.
