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by openasocket 1943 days ago
Keep in mind that it's very difficult to compare prices like this, because you're buying a lot more than just the aircraft. There's spare parts, maintenance equipment, and simulators. The prices are also going to vary based on the procurement schedule: ordering 12 planes to arrive in the next 6 months is going to be more expensive than requesting one plane arrive each month for the next year. Countries also try to include some sort of technology sharing or shared production deals, where the company agrees to build some of the parts or components in the host country. This is often done to benefit the country's domestic arms industry (NB: this isn't necessarily nefarious, there are plenty of benefits to having a good domestic arms industry. It means your weapons and components are made locally, so they can't be intercepted in a time of war and your enemy can't use diplomacy to cut you off from your supplier. And other countries tend to have export restrictions, so that the top-of-the-line equipment their companies make won't be available to others.)