The Political Economy of Combat Aircraft: Strategic Drivers in the Post-Cold War Aircraft Industry

Abstract

This doctoral thesis provides an in-depth analysis of the international market for manned fixed-wing combat aircraft, which in financial terms constitutes the largest segment among major weapon systems. It critically evaluates existing academic sources, and expands the empirical foundation by incorporating government-reported and commercial information. These materials are integrated into a unified analytical framework that enables systematic examination of production, transfers, fleet composition, and decommissioning, and includes the development of a new airpower metric. Building on cleaned and verified data, the study employs mathematical analysis to test key market determinants and generate evidence-based insights into state-level procurement behaviour. The findings highlight the decisive influence of defence-industrial policy and the politics of strategic dependency in shaping the global combat-aircraft market.