Low-cost, muti-role aircraft for small militaries

Miragedriver said:

With the cost of combat aircraft being in the $US25 million to $US110 plus million ( JF-17 to F-22) only first world nations will be able to afford a decent Air Force, and even they cannot afford too many of them.

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FORBIN said:

1/ I am French and enough well informed ... never i have see serious things for Mirage F-1
Only a time Super-Etendard for spares.

I see much things for Kfir Block 60 not young but good. in the 4 deal you mention it is the best way
Colombia, have Kfir C10/12, Ecuador C-10 very modernised decent ofc don' t want by ex a Su-30.

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It's kinda funny, Mirage/Kfir, F16 these represent a step back to passing used and outdated fighters to lesser states. Even Mig21 and F4 were heavy fighters who simply became outclassed. The F5 was actually built from start to finish as a dedicated light Low cost export fighter.
sence then the F20 emerged but was canceled it was not until the last few years with the rise of fighter trainers that we see proper children of the F5, the FA50, the Scorpion Yak 130, JF17

FORBIN said:

1/ I am French and enough well informed ... never i have see serious things for Mirage F-1
Only a time Super-Etendard for spares.

I see much things for Kfir Block 60 not young but good. in the 4 deal you mention it is the best way
Colombia, have Kfir C10/12, Ecuador C-10 very modernised decent ofc don' t want by ex a Su-30.

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Idealy JF-17s have a good range and Argentina is a large country .

With others 2/, 3/, 4/ Mirage F1 and V so old too problems after.

TerraN_EmpirE said:

It's kinda funny, Mirage/Kfir, F16 these represent a step back to passing used and outdated fighters to lesser states. Even Mig21 and F4 were heavy fighters who simply became outclassed. The F5 was actually built from start to finish as a dedicated light Low cost export fighter.

sence then the F20 emerged but was canceled it was not until the last few years with the rise of fighter trainers that we see proper children of the F5, the FA50, the Scorpion Yak 130, JF17

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That’s true. What must be taken into account is that in most cases any potential combat would be with other nations having similar equipment and not against a NATO member or a superpower. A sufficient number of older aircraft (modernized within reason) act as a sufficient deterrent to neighborly aggression.

An interesting video regarding the J-22 Orao moderization.

TerraN_EmpirE said:

Even Mig21 and F4 were heavy fighters who simply became outclassed

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The MiG-21 was a light fighter against the heavy fighter Su-9, which was succeeded by the Su-15.

But it was the Soviet mainline fighter of it's day. Where the F5 was built as a very light fighter intended to be exported to less financially endowed nations.

Not too many available choices in the modern lightweight fighter arena:

AIDC F-CK-1 Ching-Kuo

JF-17 Thunder



Tejas

JAS 39 Gripen

Some possible lightweight fighters that need a launch customer

MiG-I-2000

Su-54


J-7MF

The F-CK 1 never entered the export market and is out of production, although Taiwan has shown an interest in arms export they have so far only had limited success in small arms.
The South Korea F/A 50 seems a better option.

TerraN_EmpirE said:

The F-CK 1 never entered the export market and is out of production, although Taiwan has shown an interest in arms export they have so far only had limited success in small arms.
The South Korea F/A 50 seems a better option.

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Thanks TerraN,
I forgot about the FA-50