US fifth generation F-35 Lightning II fighters in Europe face tough competition of local combat aircraft manufacturers, tells Breaking Defense.
The publication writes that in the coming years, Finland, Czech Republic and Switzerland will take their final decisions on the procurement of new fighters, which are defined not only by financial and technical considerations, but also by politics. “All three countries under consideration have unique characteristics that can create problems for American fifth generation fighters,” the publication says.
Edition writes that F-35 Lightning II may be expensive for the Czech Republic, which operates Swedish Jas 39 Gripen fighters. According to Breaking Defense, Prague may continue to continue using the aircraft of the Swedish company Saab AB, which “with a smaller probability angry Russia.” “The American production aircraft have one advantage: a recent political decline in relations between the Czech Republic and Russia,” the publication notes.
Not entering NATO Finland, which has American F / A-18 Hornet, the main selection, according to the Breaking Defense, will take between JAS 39 Gripen and F-35 Lightning II. The publication is confident that the new Finnish combat aircraft will potentially have to simultaneously overcome the Russian anti-air defense (air defense) and fight modern Russian fighters. In the first case, the advantage is obtained by a low-profit F-35 Lightning II, in the second – capable of using Swedish jas 39 gripen air bases.
Against the purchase of the American aircraft Switzerland, in particular, as the publication writes, residents of French-speaking regions of the country, confident in the feasibility of acquiring European (French) Rafale.
In February, the Edition of Defense News, referring to the application of the Deputy Commander of the Air Force (Air Force) of Sweden of the Brigadier General Anders Perspson, wrote that Finnish Air Force should purchase fourth-generation fighters Jas 39 Gripen produced by the Swedish company Saab AB, because in the event of war With Russia, “a more vulnerable Finnish air fleet can retreat to the West on the base in neighboring Sweden, which would be easier to implement when two countries immediately have jas 39 gripen.”
In February 2019, the Commander of the Swedish Air Force Mats Helgesson stated that the Swedish Jas 39 Gripen fighter could destroy the Russian SU Series aircraft without resorting to the stealth technology decline in notice.