Until August 2025, the 3/11 Jura Fighter Squadron, stationed at the 188th Air Base "Colonel Massart" in Djibouti, operated four Mirage 2000-5F aircraft. These planes were crucial for defending Djibouti’s airspace and protecting strategic supply routes through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a vital waterway connecting the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden. The squadron was particularly active during the 2024 attacks by Houthi rebels on maritime traffic in the Red Sea, conducting about ten weekly missions to ensure the safety of passing vessels. With plans to transfer six Mirage 2000-5F aircraft to Ukraine, the French Air and Space Force (AAE) decided to reduce the 3/11 Corsica Squadron’s allocation to three of these aircraft. However, this reduction did not lead to a decrease in capability. Instead, the squadron was equipped with two Mirage 2000D RMV aircraft, which are designed for ground support missions. The AAE stated that the addition of the Mirage 2000D RMV aircraft brought new operational capabilities to French forces in Djibouti, enhancing their ability to respond quickly to emerging threats in the region. Despite rising tensions in the Middle East, the AAE did not consider three Mirage 2000-5F aircraft excessive for maintaining a secure air presence in Djibouti. On October 6, the 188th Air Base announced via social media that a third Mirage 2000D RMV had arrived in Djibouti, replacing one of the Mirage 2000-5F aircraft. The base also confirmed that the 3/11 "Corsica" Fighter Squadron would be equipped with Rafale aircraft by 2027, marking a significant step in modernizing the squadron’s capabilities. The 188th Air Base noted that the arrival of an additional Mirage 2000D aircraft was an important milestone before the introduction of the Rafale in 2027. It emphasized that the squadron has been instrumental in advancing French air capabilities in the Horn of Africa region. The gradual replacement of older Mirage 2000 models with Rafale aircraft is expected to strengthen the operational effectiveness of the base. The exact number of Rafale aircraft to be deployed to the 3/11 "Corsica" Fighter Squadron has not yet been specified. Under the renewed Defense Cooperation Agreement (TCMD) for an additional twenty years, France remains the only country to deploy military assets in Djibouti to support the country's territorial integrity and sovereignty.