Since the end of the cold war, and with the huge amount of F-16s still available, the market for cheap lightweight fighters has dried up. Even more so now LM has devised a SLEP for F-16 that would increase its life to an amazing 13,856 flying hours. A used F-16 with SLEP and upgrade to F-16V standards can be had for less than a brand new Gripen C for example.
Still there would be countries that would prefer a lower operating costs than a F-16, or something that could also double as LIFT platform too.
Markets? Countries that currently have no fighters or having small old fleets would be a good candidate for new lightweight fighters as their main fighter platform. Or countries with only air policing and CAS taskings. I can say Croatia, Slovak, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Austria, Botswana, Kenya, Argentina, Mexico, Sri Lanka. Or countries that has a mix of hi-lo performance fighters. This would be Vietnam, Malaysia, Egypt, Iran, Peru, Colombia, Switzerland, Ukraine. Still the market is small, something like only 500 aircrafts. Could be more if the same aircraft can be used as LIFT too.
Aircrafts available now are the L-15B, JF-17, FA-50, M-346FA, Gripen C (it will still be marketed even when the E model is mass produced), Tejas. All are supersonic capable except the M-346FA.
If you are very2 low on cash but still need a brand new lightweight fighter, there is the Guizhou FTC-2000 still available at less than 10 mil usd per aircraft.
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