Typhoon (Eurofighter Jagdflugzeug/Eads)
Extremely agile and constructed of carbon fibre composites, the Eurofighter Typhoon is a multi-role combat aircraft capable of being deployed in various air operations.
Enthusiasts, like the British Royal Air Force, wax lyrical about the Typhoon, hailing its matchless pre-eminence in the industry. The Indian Air Force has also proven a fan as it considers its decision to contract for 126 combat planes.
More than 260 aircraft have already been built and are used by the German Luftwaffe and the Italian, Spanish and British air forces. Some 471 jets have been ordered.
Eurofighter Jagdflugzeug is largely seen as a Franco-German joint venture which later added a number of other European nations that decided to help develop the Typhoon. It was founded in 1986 and consists of four different assembly lines that roll out 683 aircraft to Austria, Italy, Germany, Spain and the UK. The jets are currently assembled by Eurofighter’s partners BAE Systems, Alenia Aeronautica, and Eads. There is talk however that an expected fifth assembly line will be set up for the production of an additional 48 Saudi jets.
Jas-39 Gripen (Saab)
Saab’s Gripen stands for Swedish reliability and efficiency in contrast. The Jas-39 Gripen’s superior technical specs make it one of the world’s most sophisticated warplanes.
Saab has several ongoing industrial partnerships and successful technology transfer agreements because the jet is seen as an affordable fighter with great flexibility on deployment.
The Gripen has proven to be an incredibly attractive solution for many air forces – it repeatedly makes the shortlist within the export market against some of the best combat aircraft from Europe, Russia and the US.
Predictably, Gripen’s business affiliation is largely centred on the Swedish aircraft industry, which contracts a bulky portion of the order sum. However, Saab has made a strong offer to the industry through continuous efforts and has established an excellent record within countries such as Hungary, Czech Republic and South Africa.
Rafale (Dassault)
One of the Typhoon’s major competitors is the Rafale, a jet fighter manufactured by Dassault Aviation, which offers similar aerodynamic performance to that seen in the Typhoon. The Rafale however has proven itself in the second Gulf War, whereas the Eurofighter is yet to see any combat.
Rafale’s dual functionality as both a land and carrier-based aircraft makes it especially desirable to both the French Air Force and Navy. The jet’s respectable arms capacity, its supercruise capability, and an exceptional aerodynamic performance, catapult it to a leading position in the field.
In addition to targeting India’s Air Force, Dassault has marketed the Rafale extensively within Europe, Brazil and South Korea, but has so far failed to attract any foreign buyers. The generosity of the French military has so far kept the company afloat with an order of 286 Rafales. It remains to be seen if such a large order can be repeated, given France’s strain on budgets.
Dassault has played a significant role in reshaping France’s defence industry thanks to its 26 percent stake in electronics and defence manufacturer Thales. The company is aware that to stay in the running within this competitive market it will have to work closer with its global partners, which include McLaren, CERT, IBM and Jaguar Land Rover.
Dassault’s corporate secretary, Jacques Pellas, famously said: “Our aircraft must not only be of the highest quality and security, it must also be tailor-made to customer specifications. Business jet buyers are a limited club and we have to give them what they want.”
Sukhoi SU-35 (Rosoboronexport)
Another contender to feature in an elite aircraft list is Russia’s Sukhoi SU-35, a highly manoeuvrable multirole fighter with greatly enhanced avionics. It is one of the most respected aircraft and has made the shortlist of China’s and South Korea’s aircraft competitions in the past. China indeed went as far as expressing an interest in co-producing the jet with Rosoboronexport.
More recently, both the Brazilian and Venezuelan air forces reported plans to place an order for the SU-35 but the acquisitions were postponed at the last minute.
Rosoboronexport has an exclusive standing in Russia as the sole intermediary agency for the country’s import and export of products and services related to defence. There is no doubt that its positioning is ranked highly internationally due to its relationship with the Russian government and its leading role in the global arms market.
The company is known to deal largely with defence procurement specialists, air defence commanders and military experts when marketing its air defence system catalogue. It does not have the wide reach however that competitors such as Saab and Boeing offer through their international partnerships.
F/A-18E/F Super Hornet (Boeing)
Boeing’s maritime strike attack aircraft F/A-18E/F Super Hornet is similar to the Eurofighter Typhoon, as both are signature Western fighters. The Super Hornet replaces the F/A-18 A-D Hornet and is a sophisticated upgrade which features new avionics, carrier capability, integrated weapons and powerful radar technology. Each unit clocks in at a price tag of $55m, nearly half of that of some of its competitors’.
It is undoubtedly one of the industry leaders, as around 500 aircraft are currently in use by the US Navy and the Royal Australian Air Force. Interest has also recently been expressed by the UAE, Brazil and Bulgaria.
There are no doubts that Boeing is a frontrunner and has become a key contributor to the aviation and space industry as the third largest defence contractor globally. It relentlessly expands its range of products and offers innovative solutions and cutting edge technology.
F-35 Lightning II (Lockheed-Martin)
Lockheed Martin’s F-35 Lightning II is unusual among its rivals: it is the only aircraft to still be in the system development and demonstration phase, and is currently awaiting the production of 21 test jets.
The aircraft is intended as a core tactical fighter for the US military, and there will be three variants of the F-35 Lightning II to serve the needs of the US Navy, Air Force and Marines. The fifth generation multirole fighter offers air defence and ground attack with stealth capabilities, the first and only one with such features. It is believed that despite budget cuts the US has committed itself to 2,443 jets so far, at a cost of $382bn.
The F-35 is predominantly funded by the US but receives additional financial support from Nato members and US allies.
Lockheed Martin, a frontrunner in the defence industry and the US’s leading federal contractor, has teamed up with BAE Systems and Northrop Grumman to produce and deliver the jets. The craft is thought to be the world’s largest defence programme, as customer orders reached an estimated 3,100 aircraft. Not bad for a jet that carries a price tag of about $90m and has yet to see combat.
