How geopolitics and new military alliances are disrupting combat aircraft procurement
Dassault’s Rafale has undoubtedly benefited from being seen as a non-US solution in many export competitions. (Photo: Dassault Aviation)
Selection of fighter aircraft by national governments has always been political. As markets and allegiances shift against a background of global realignment, who will be the winners and losers as new entrants compete with established suppliers?
The defence sector, sitting at the leading edge of geopolitics and technology, and with a vast direct and indirect overlap with “dual use” systems and product development, is often used as a bellwether for wider trends. “Game-changer” is an oft-used term for just about anything new in this industry, irrespective of whether it changes much of anything.
Against this background, in both more and less democratic countries, the executive normally has the final say on procurement of high-end defence equipment such as combat aircraft and tends towards an option that benefits a nation or party’s position as much as reflecting
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