Assembly is connecting parts, not inclusive to the production of said parts.

Secondhand Typhoons would be a good impetus to draw down other airframes. Improvement in the quality it replaces. Help the seller cope with their own force affordability by keeping more of the overall type in existence.

EF partners need to look at Tranche pre-2 exports to sustain Tranche 2/3 partners.

I figure they keep using negotiations like some buyers use change orders.

They had the rough outline for X cost. Now they are amping up the X agreed cost through negotiations that fall outside the original agreed price. If they cannot deliver at X cost or the buyer will not agree in the price window then the negotiations done originally were in bad faith. The latter doesn’t appear to be the case.

The M53 was probably not the best engine to pit against rivalries offered for F-15. In hindsight I’m not so sure Mirage 4k offered any promises that EAP did not already make, plus it had a larger projected customer base. EJ200 was not ready by that time, but it was a technology leap over the M53. France chose to downscale when they designed the Rafale to make it affordable. Would the 4k be affordable in production is the bigger question.

I believe you meant ‘cruise does not mean maximum dry thrust’ or military thrust.

EF discussion is not irrelevant any more than talk of extending MKI orders. It’s not a simple matter to extend MKI production. In reality it leans India further into Russia’s sphere of influence, which is why they have MRCA and LCA. EF operations puts pressure on Dassault to get the deal on track, MKI does not. Rafale and Typhoon are clearly designed to operate superior to MKI.