Asian air forces scramble for more fighter firepower

Continued tensions in the Far East and southern Asia are ensuring that the region remains a major sales battleground for the world’s fighter houses.

By David Donald • Contributor - UK

January 31, 2010

Continued tensions in the Far East and southern Asia are ensuring that the region remains a major sales battleground for the world’s fighter houses. At stake is the sale of several hundred new combat aircraft in the coming years as air arms seek to modernize their forces or, in the case of countries such as Japan and Singapore, stay ahead of the regional threat.

Traditional rivals from Europe (Dassault, Eurofighter and Saab), the U.S. (Boeing and Lockheed Martin) and Russia (RSK-MiG and Sukhoi) have now been joined by China in offering viable competitors in this hard-fought marketplace. Furthermore, India, Japan and South Korea have exhibited ambitions to further their indigenous industrial capability, and this may become a factor in type selection as companies offer their assistance with national projects. For some manufacturers a failure to secure significant business in the region may spell the end of their activities in the combat aircraft sector.

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