An accelerating re-equipment cycle among the world's major air forces will see both production and revenues rise among the world's aircraft manufacturers, says a new US survey.
The survey, from Newtown, Connecticut-based Forecast International/DMS, predicts deliveries of around 4,350 aircraft worth $170 billion from now until 2012.
Protection
Forecast International aviation analyst Bill Dane says that, despite the perception by some critics that the US Air Force's F/A-22 Raptor is a relic of the Cold War, "the Air Force's so-called 'Fighter mafia' will protect this programme at virtually any cost, including cutbacks in planned F-35 [Joint Strike Fighter] procurements".
It suggests that Europe's efforts to sell both Eurofighter and Rafale will become significantly more difficult once the F-35 becomes available. It also says that Russia's modest fighter aircraft production revival will continue, buoyed by substantial Indian and Chinese orders.
Source: Flight Daily News
