The USN uses the throttle different than air forces. The manufacturer garaunteed a range and defined the requirements to meet those needs. Both parties agreed to the deal.

Swerve,

You summed it up. If cost and utility sold light jets then K-8 would sell better. L-159 would sell more. But that isn’t really happening. The US had quite a few A-4’s left over from Vietnam era politics and they were a huge capability bump for many users. The F-5 was exported on such good terms it made better sense than lighter fighters it competed with. The T-37 likewise proliferated for similar reasons. The Daggers and Finger exports were exported on great terms and offered a capability bump. F-16’s have been leased at cost competitive terms and had even better proliferation. Mirage 2K is similar in size, but because it has a higher acquisition cost compared to used F-16’s, its just not selling as well. In fact M2K seems to be a protest purchase against US politics more than an affirmation of capabilities.

There isn’t a huge surplus of fighters that are fairly affordable and offer capability bumps. The brand new trainers definitely don’t offer a bump. Gripen is on track to be the new F-5, but the terms just are not good enough to offset secondhand F-16’s.

Swerve, I was pointing out why the original failed in the marketplace. We’re old guys around here and younger fellas don’t know.

The Hawk 200 made little sense next to the AMX project or A-4 rebuilds.

There might be work done on a LO Gripen already,
i have read it somewhere, but that version would have been done by 2025-2030 IIRC.
It was my preferred version

Gripen C is already LO. You mean VLO.

All ATD-X are hand built prototypes.

Perhaps RR was right to propose a relatively modest engine upgrade, with rebuilt Adours. Maybe the IAF has realised the true cost, risk & timescale of the Honeywell engine replacement.

India is running no surpluses for luxuries.