Because making a fighter jet is a more than a decade long undertaking with existing military industrial design, manufacturing, and test infrastructure.
Making one from scratch without the existing IP and infrastructure is an even larger and more expensive task.
It takes the cost (out-my-ass example) from 30 million per jet with a 3 year lead time, to 150 million per jet with a 15 year lead time with an unproven, likely worse, aircraft. And if they are trying to protect themselves from close neighbors’ current trajectory turning hostile, they probably don’t have 15 years.
Because making a fighter jet is a more than a decade long undertaking with existing military industrial design, manufacturing, and test infrastructure.
Making one from scratch without the existing IP and infrastructure is an even larger and more expensive task.
It takes the cost (out-my-ass example) from 30 million per jet with a 3 year lead time, to 150 million per jet with a 15 year lead time with an unproven, likely worse, aircraft. And if they are trying to protect themselves from close neighbors’ current trajectory turning hostile, they probably don’t have 15 years.