France and Ukraine publish defense roadmap to license missile, bomb production and buy Rafale jets

France and Ukraine on Tuesday published a defense roadmap that moves European military support from broad pledges to specific authorizations for licensed weapons production in Ukraine, alongside a defined path for Rafale fighter jets and next-generation SAMP/T air defense systems.

The joint declaration, published by the Office of the President of Ukraine after meetings in Paris, says France has authorized licensed production in Ukraine of SCALP cruise missiles and AASM guided bombs. It also says France and Italy have authorized licensed production in Ukraine of Aster 30 interceptor missiles, the munition used by the Franco-Italian SAMP/T air-defense family. The document pairs those approvals with procurement plans for an initial batch of Rafale combat aircraft and four SAMP/T-NG systems.

The roadmap is more concrete than the earlier declaration of intent signed on Nov. 17, 2025, because it includes timelines, quantities and training steps. Ukraine is ordering an initial 16 Rafale aircraft and their armaments, drawn from 100 planned for acquisition in November 2025, according to the declaration. Training for Ukrainian pilots and mechanics can begin in France as early as 2026, and the first four Rafales would be transferred only after that training cycle is completed.

On air defense, Ukraine said it intends to order four SAMP/T-NG systems and “will become the first combat user of the Franco‑Italian SAMP/T‑NG systems.” France said it would deliver the new systems as soon as possible, with progressive deployment starting in 2027. As a bridge, France also committed to send two existing SAMP/T complexes to Ukraine, to be returned once the newly procured SAMP/T-NG systems are delivered.

The declaration sets the same timetable for the newly authorized missile and bomb production. Licensed production of AASM and SCALP in Ukraine is to happen “before the end of 2026 and starting as soon as possible,” the document says. It gives the same timeline for licensed production of Aster 30 missiles in Ukraine, authorized by France and Italy.

France and Italy also decided to accelerate delivery of an agreed number of Aster 30 missiles by October 2026, according to the declaration, though the public document does not specify how many. France also said it would support Ukraine’s FREYJA anti-ballistic project by facilitating industrial cooperation with French companies and by providing expertise from the DGA, the French arms procurement agency.

French President Emmanuel Macron announced the roadmap a day earlier. “Earlier this afternoon President (Volodymyr) Zelenskiy and I agreed on a roadmap between our two countries, implementing what had been agreed in principle last November regarding our bilateral defense cooperation,” Macron said at a July 13 news conference, according to Reuters.

The systems named in the declaration are central to France’s defense industry. Rafale is France’s multirole fighter jet, built by Dassault Aviation. SCALP is a long-range air-launched cruise missile. AASM is a precision-guided bomb made by Safran. Aster 30 is the interceptor used by SAMP/T, a Franco-Italian air-defense system designed to counter aircraft and some missile threats.

What is new in Tuesday’s publication is not simply political backing, but a written authorization package linking technology transfer, air defense procurement and pilot training. At the same time, the declaration is a roadmap rather than proof that production lines are already operating. It does not publicly disclose exact contract terms, prices, the identities of Ukrainian industrial partners or the full implementation details for the licensed production arrangements.

The document says financing for the Rafale and SAMP/T-NG programs will be requested under the European Union’s Ukraine Support Loan, specifically its 2026 and 2027 tranches. That means the announcement lays out the procurement and industrial framework, while leaving key commercial details and final contracting steps for later disclosure.