Lessons learned from supplier switching on fast jet fleets
Indonesia has long managed the Sukhoi Su-30 in its air force. (Photo: Wikimedia Commons/Arya dhieva1)
Changing an air force’s primary supplier of combat aircraft is not something to be done lightly. Beyond the obvious hardware and integration aspects it requires a focus on training and doctrine.
As F-35 exports have shown, procurement of military equipment is largely decided by politics over a weapon’s utility or its required capability or the weapon’s utility. Ships, tanks and combat aircraft are big-ticket items, infrequently sought, and represent a clear statement as to the customer’s defence and diplomatic ties.
Yet, by the same token, a change in government, or circumstance, and the resultant new geopolitical outlook can have an
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