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Can emergent suppliers of fighter aircraft crack Middle East markets?

9th January 2026 - 16:54 GMT | by Edward Hunt in London, UK

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HAL is still awaiting a breakthrough export order for its Tejas light combat aircraft. (Photo: HAL)

The 2025 Dubai Airshow saw several aspiring suppliers of combat aircraft to the region’s air forces parade their wares in the sky and on the ground. Shephard’s Edward Hunt explores their chance of success in the Middle East.

What should have been an unusual and interesting Dubai Airshow was plunged into tragedy when an Indian Air Force Tejas Mk 1A fighter aircraft crashed, killing the pilot. Beyond this sad turn of events, the question of what HAL and its jet were doing in the UAE is of interest as it is indicative of some subtle shifts in the defence market.

Many current air force fleets still suffer from a Cold War legacy, when procurement largely mirrored political alignment. Governments may come and go but barring an outright revolution the general security outlook usually remains constant; although this “rule”

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