TR Defence Exports & Updates

[Sanchez]

While Indonesian and Malaysian Air Forces are small, they've historically used larger fighter aircraft, like the F-18s, or Su-30s. With the economies of both countries growing ever larger at nearly exponential rates, and with SEA starting to get hot, it's only plausible to expect them to order more expensive and capable aircraft in larger numbers. Indonesia already started the trend by ordering 40+ Rafales in the last 4 years. Just like in Europe, we'll see more countries increase their military budgets in the region, and Hürjet and Kaan might find themselves buyers there if they are ready in time.

 

[Yasar_TR]

When compared to each other, Rafale cost and F35 cost may not look too different.

Germany “pegged” the price of its 35 units of F35 at 8.4 billion dollars.

India bought 36 Rafale jets for 8.7billion dollars.

Germany signed the deal in 2022. The 7.7% inflation corrected price puts German purchase at 9 billion dollars.

But India signed the deal n 2016. That is 27% more today as the deal was signed in Euros. So they actually agreed to pay 11billion dollars for 36 planes.

Both, German and Indian deals include weapons, maintenance, training and ancillaries.

Germany clinches $8 billion purchase of 35 F-35 aircraft from the US

Manufacturer Lockheed Martin is now set to seek local industry partners to help maintain the fleet later — if the base prep work gets done in time.

www.defensenews.com

https://www.ajaishukla.com/2017/11/part-2-how-much-did-rafale-actually-cost.html

These are initial first purchase costs for the planes. Now that certain costs have been covered, follow up orders should be comparatively less than the initial costs.

Over the years, how much each aircraft will cost is a matter of how much their respective airforces will abuse them or look after them. Also how much the purchasing country was shafted by the seller. (India seems have paid over the odds for the Rafale’s) . Nevertheless SAAB has done a study and:

For a fleet of 100 planes, over 37 years and 200flight hours per year:

 

[somegoodusername]

Good statistic and probably has some Saab adjustments on them. Like their marketing department is known for:

They even half-scammed us in the preliminary design process of the TF-X.

Let’s do some a priori thinking: the F-35 is a fifth-generation aircraft with highly advanced aircraft with highly complex engines that are known to be very expensive and hard to maintain. It has a much more complex production process, special coatings, far more advanced sensors, and so many other advanced features. Additionally, labor costs in the U.S. are nearly double those in France. While the F-35 benefits from economies of scale, I doubt this advantage fully closes the cost gap with a very conventional, 4th-generation aircraft like the Rafale, which has more average sensors and can’t even retract its fuel probe. It’s somewhat expensive compared to the F-16 Block 70 mainly because it doesn’t benefit from the same scale of production.