'Living up to the hype' - it's a phrase that applies across the aviation sector, within both the commercial and military sectors. Following the Paris Air Show (PAS), which admittedly saw a swathe of commercial orders, the military OEMs appeared to find themselves in something of a middle ground; happy to discuss programmes, but giving little information on future commitments. What is effectively a war in Europe is taking place, and this, combined with the political fallout due to 'Russia's military operation', is impacting current NATO commitments in terms of providing support and monitoring the region - and all while still ensuring all its other obligations prior to the February 2022 invasion are being met. Surely that means there's going to be some significant military orders being announced soon... but this year's PAS was not the time. The sixth-generation air dominance fighter leads the charge for defence, with a succession of mock-ups presented at defence shows over the last few years and partnerships being formed. But quietly halted and then left to become dormant, it does seem like we're waiting for something big to happen.
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