Emerging countries in need of modernising their weaponry are rushing to buy state-of-the-art fighter jets, sparking a fierce marketing battle among the global aerospace majors. French Defense Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian hinted that India and the Persian Gulf nations will pick French fighters soon. BAE Systems also announced that the Eurofighter Typhoon combat jet was no longer being considered for adoption as the next-generation fighter by the United Arab Emirates. The UAE plans to buy 60 new fighters to replace its ageing fleet, a deal estimated to be worth as much as $10 billion. The French Rafale and America’s Boeing F/A-18 Super Hornet remain in the running.
Meanwhile, Brazil said that it will grant Sweden’s Saab exclusive negotiating rights as it works to select its next-generation fighter. The Saab JAS 39 Gripen is now the front-runner in this race. Brazil plans to replace 36 fighters by 2023 at a total cost of $4.5 billion. French President Francois Hollande visited Brazil to pitch the Dassault Rafale fighter. In response to Brazil’s decision last week, Dassault pointed out that the Gripen uses many parts from other countries, especially the US. In fact, the F/A-18 had been seen as the leading candidate in that race.