France will begin training Ukrainian pilots to operate the Rafale fighter jet in November, Armed Forces Minister Catherine Vautrin told French lawmakers during a parliamentary hearing on Thursday. The announcement advances discussions between Paris and Kyiv over the combat aviation portion of French military assistance.

“We are continuing our discussions regarding the combat aviation component, particularly regarding the Rafale,” Vautrin said while answering questions about assistance to Ukraine during a 2027 defense budget hearing.

Vautrin then provided the planned starting point for the instruction. “From November, we will begin the first training of Ukrainian pilots on Rafale.”

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy also said Ukrainian pilots would soon begin Rafale training in France. In a Telegram post on Monday, Zelenskyy described the planned instruction as a major step forward for Ukraine’s combat aviation and cited a conversation with French President Emmanuel Macron.

The training plan follows an agreement reached by Ukraine and France in July. That roadmap included a proposed Ukrainian purchase of 16 Rafale fighter jets, along with the weapon systems accompanying the French aircraft.

Macron said in July that the first Rafale jets are expected to fly in Ukrainian skies in 2028 or 2029. The training announcement therefore comes well before the anticipated arrival of the aircraft in Ukraine.

Ukraine has already received other Western fighter aircraft from European countries. Several European nations supplied F-16 jets, while France provided Mirage 2000 fighters.

Ukraine also agreed in May to purchase 20 new Gripen jets. Sweden, meanwhile, is donating 16 units of an older Gripen model under the broader effort to build Ukraine’s combat aviation capabilities.

France and Ukraine are continuing work on localizing the production of French missiles and aerial bombs inside Ukraine, according to Zelenskyy. Vautrin told lawmakers during her hearing that a licensing process for missiles is currently underway.

“We are fully aware that by supporting Ukraine, we are defending Europe,” Vautrin said.

The July agreement also called for Ukraine to acquire an initial batch of SAMP/T NG air defense batteries and missiles, according to Macron. The countries additionally approved several licensing agreements covering weapons production in Ukraine.

Those agreements address Ukrainian production of the AASM glide bomb kit and the Aster 30 air defense interceptor used by the SAMP/T system. They also cover the SCALP/Storm Shadow air launched cruise missile.

Ukraine has already operated an older version of the joint French and Italian SAMP/T air defense system. That system relies on the Aster family of interceptors manufactured by MBDA.

The Ukrainian military also uses the AASM Hammer precision glide bomb developed by Safran. The planned licensing arrangements would expand the production relationship between Ukraine and France across several weapons associated with air operations and air defense.

The Rafale plan has developed through multiple proposed purchase arrangements. Ukraine signed a letter of intent in November last year to buy as many as 100 Rafale jets manufactured by Dassault Aviation.

That agreement followed a similar letter of intent signed a month earlier by Ukraine and Sweden. The Swedish arrangement covered the potential export of as many as 150 Gripen jets produced by Saab.

The Rafale can carry MBDA’s Meteor missile, which analysts consider one of the best long range air to air missiles in service with Western militaries. The aircraft also includes an advanced electronic warfare suite and a Thales radar.

Both the electronic warfare suite and the radar received upgrades through the Rafale F4.1 standard. That standard was qualified in March 2023.

The approaching November training date provides the next concrete milestone in the French and Ukrainian Rafale discussions. The instruction will begin as the two governments continue work on aircraft procurement, weapons licensing and the local production of French missiles and aerial bombs in Ukraine.