Making a choice in military aviation is an extremely complex process, dependent not only on technical or financial capabilities, but also on political orientations and long-term strategic calculations. This was stated by military-political analyst Leonid Nersisyan.
“Military aviation is a very difficult subject precisely in terms of choice. One must understand with which states, under what conditions and for what purposes such a decision is made,” the expert notes, emphasizing that this is a step calculated for years and even decades.
Indian Fighter Jet: Advantages and Unresolved Questions
According to Nersisyan, the Indian Tejas MK1A fighter jet has both strengths and serious issues, one of which is that it is very new. In fact, it is India’s first domestically produced fighter aircraft, and full operational experience has not yet been established.
“At the very least, we need to wait and understand why this fighter crashed during the Dubai airshow. It is possible that it was not a technical failure, but there is still no final answer,” Nersisyan says, adding that such incidents must be thoroughly studied before any decision is made.
He also considers it necessary to examine alternative options, especially given that the political situation may change in a short period of time.
European Options: Political Opportunities and Financial Constraints
The expert does not rule out that in the near future some Western countries may reconsider their approaches amid closer relations between Armenia and the United States. He notes that, theoretically, agreements could be reached with French or Swedish counterparts.
However, regarding the French Rafale fighter, Nersisyan points to problems of size and cost.
“Rafale is the only new-generation fighter currently produced in Europe. It is undoubtedly one of the best fourth-generation fighters, but for a country the size of Armenia it is too large, has an extremely long flight range, and is very expensive,” he emphasizes.
From a pricing perspective, Rafale can hardly be considered the optimal solution for Armenia.
‘The Best’ Is Not Always the Right Choice
The expert also warns about the risk of being tempted by the most expensive and advanced technology without comprehensive calculation.
“Even if we imagine that tomorrow Armenia is told: you can buy the F-35 — which obviously will not happen — the question arises: in what quantity? Will we buy three? At most twelve,” says Nersisyan.
According to him, purchasing even 12 fighters could block any other procurement opportunities for the army for many years.
“After buying those 12 fighters, for five, six, seven years we may not be able to make any other purchases for the armed forces at all, because such enormous sums will be required,” he notes.
Hidden Costs of Maintenance and Readiness
Nersisyan emphasizes that the issue does not end with the purchase — on the contrary, it only begins. Maintaining expensive fighters, operating them, and training pilots require massive financial resources.
“With such-class fighters, each pilot must conduct at least 120 flight hours per year. Maintenance, training, and technical support demand enormous funds,” he stresses.
In his view, in some cases “the best” may create more problems than bring real benefit.
“Everything must be carefully calculated before making a decision, because the best solution is not always the most effective one for a given country,” Nersisyan concludes.