Dasa Shows Mockup Mako Mini-Fighter as It Seeks a Launch Customer or Partner

IlA 2000: Even as Dasa's military aircraft division becomes first part of EADS and then a major element of the combat aircraft joint venture between EADS and Finmeccanica, work on the Mako light fighter/advanced trainer continues apace.

The project needs a business case for 330 aircraft in order to succeed, and orders for 60 before management would even consider a launch, according to Erwin Obermeier, director of series production and executive committee member of Dasa's military aircraft division.

"If we get a business case this summer, we could fly in 2004 and deliver the first aircraft in 2008," he told Show News. "What we need is a customer, or a good partner."

Dasa sees a market for 2,500 Mako-type light fighter/advanced trainer aircraft between 2005 and 2025. Its faces only one competitor: the Korean-Lockheed Martin KTX-2, under development for the Republic of Korea Air Force and with aspirations for global sales, including replacing the US Air Force's ageing T-38s.

Dasa has undertaken considerable definition and design work on the fourth-generation Mako "and we are at a point where we could start full scale development," Obermeier said. "We are already in negotiations with some suppliers."

Formation of EADS and the combat aircraft JV could enhance the prospect of finding a "home" market for Mako as France needs a follow-on to the Alphajet, and Spain has a requirement for 20 such aircraft.

The light combat Mako with full avionics and variable armament package will be priced around $25 million, well below the Gripen ($35-40 million) and Joint Strike Fighter ($29-30 million), while the basic, unarmed advanced trainer is targetted at $12 million.

©Show News 2000