Going back to the first comment in the thread regarding spheres of influence:
I think if you look at the various alliances the US is involved in they don't necessarily translate into weapons sales to those countries. Even their closest allies purchase a mix of weapons - some US, some domestically produced, and some from other sources. Take any country as an example and you'll see that the US hardly dominates any single country's aircraft purchases.
One thing I find very interesting is the fate of the major fighter program's export sales. Of the new (or fairly new) programs there are the F-22, F-35, Rafale, Gripen, Eurofighter, Mig-29/35, the Su-27 (and it's developments), and maybe the FC-1. The only programs having consistent sales success outside the manufacturing countries are the Russian and Chinese planes. The Rafale hasn't sold outside France (as far as I know), the Gripen has sold in small numbers to 2-3 countires, the Eurofighter might go to the Saudis, the F-22 is US only, and the jury is still out on the F-35.
Why? Price. You get a lot of bang for the buck from the Russian and Chinese aircraft. I think it has less to do with relationships and more to do with cost.
Looking back at the designs that had the most export success - the F-16, Mirage series, F-104 (a crappy plane, but one that sold), and the Mig-21 - what you find in common is relative simplicity and low cost.
So I don't think that India, for example, buys Russian fighters out of any great alliance with or love for Russia - it's simply the most economical option. And Russia will sell to almost anyone. In fact they sell to both India and China and they are adversaries.
I think if you look at the various alliances the US is involved in they don't necessarily translate into weapons sales to those countries. Even their closest allies purchase a mix of weapons - some US, some domestically produced, and some from other sources. Take any country as an example and you'll see that the US hardly dominates any single country's aircraft purchases.
One thing I find very interesting is the fate of the major fighter program's export sales. Of the new (or fairly new) programs there are the F-22, F-35, Rafale, Gripen, Eurofighter, Mig-29/35, the Su-27 (and it's developments), and maybe the FC-1. The only programs having consistent sales success outside the manufacturing countries are the Russian and Chinese planes. The Rafale hasn't sold outside France (as far as I know), the Gripen has sold in small numbers to 2-3 countires, the Eurofighter might go to the Saudis, the F-22 is US only, and the jury is still out on the F-35.
Why? Price. You get a lot of bang for the buck from the Russian and Chinese aircraft. I think it has less to do with relationships and more to do with cost.
Looking back at the designs that had the most export success - the F-16, Mirage series, F-104 (a crappy plane, but one that sold), and the Mig-21 - what you find in common is relative simplicity and low cost.
So I don't think that India, for example, buys Russian fighters out of any great alliance with or love for Russia - it's simply the most economical option. And Russia will sell to almost anyone. In fact they sell to both India and China and they are adversaries.