The US and NATO have lost their advantage in military air power as the shooting down of French built Rafale s in India by a Chinese fighter and of F 16 s in the Ukraine shows.
Outdated air force planes are set to cost America dearly as export orders for the F16 and likely also F 35 decline while orders for China s J10 increase, boosting China s export revenues.
Generally speaking, whereas the J-10 export variant costs anywhere between $40-$65 million, the F-16V, America’s export variant of the F-16, costs between $60-$85 million (although newer models, such as Slovakia’s 2018 purchase of 14 F-16 Block 70s, cost around $128 million unit).
The Americans have, for too long, coasted on their Cold War victory in every way imaginable. The rest of the world has caught up. In China’s case, they are even surpassing the West in some areas—even in sectors where it was always assumed the Americans would have significant advantages, like the arms industry. The J-10 is ready for its moment on the export market–at the F-16’s expense.
https://nationalinterest.org/blog/buzz/chinas-j-10-fighter-could-decimate-americas-f-16-exports
Must read analysis from NZZ on the risk to Europe since French built Rafale s are its first line of attack and defence in a nuclear conflict.
https://www.nzz.ch/english/downing-of-indian-fighter-jet-offers-lessons-for-west-ld.1884492
A report on the loss of the third F 16 in the Ukraine
https://www.kyivpost.com/post/52751
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