We must admit it is beyond the capability to independently develop a 5-gen fighter for countries other than the Big Fives, or to be more openly, for all countries except the US. You need to invest tens of billions of $$ and have peak technologies (especially engines) to develop a 5-gen fighter, which is too hard for most of countries. US technological hegemony is always powerful, and the situation will only be worse.
Our J-20 is bothered by the engines and WS-15 has to take another 5-10 years to be introduced, and currently only are installed with WS-10 for workaround.
Russian Su-57 has flaws in stealth and avionics and is only a 4++++.
European countries select to buy F-35.
France is yet to develop one, not to mention Sweden.
Korean KF-X is only a 4.5 gen and it is still beyond their capability without involving L&M in
TF-X is even in worse situaion than KF-X after RR quited and US put sanctions on Turkey.
Indian said AMCA would come out in 3-5 years, but I don't quite believe their speed.
Engines is the most crucial part for a new fighter.
Current available high-thrust engine: US F-135/F-119 > RU 117S > US F110/F100 / RU AL-31F / CN WS-10
In development: RU Product 30 / CN WS-15. will be the same level (or even a little inferior to) as F-119/F-135, and take at least 5~10 years to be mature.
For a heavy 5-gen fighter, you need F-119/WS-15/Product 30 class engine, which are only produced by US.
Current available mid-thrust engine: UK EJ200/US F-414> US F-404 / RU RD93 / FR M88 > CN WS-13
Our new mid-thrust engine is still under development and won't come out in years. Even France and Russia don't have a matching one with RR/GE. The gap is there.
In fact, the only options for a 5-gen fighter are F-119/F-135/F-414/EJ-200. Even minor performance loss is acceptable, choices are only above. In short, US controls the engine of 5-gen fighter, and its position is even not challenged.
So F-35 can be used as an ultimate political tool by US --- if you don't follow US interest, you will not have 5-gen fighter.
Turkey is kicked out from F-35, even though it is a co-founder of F-35 program.
GCC countries are full of money but they cannot by F35, while Israel become the first foreign user of F-35 without even being a co-founder.
Turkey needs a real 5-gen fighter rather than just-so-so 4.5 or 4++ or 4++++ or whatever toys, since there will be more F-35 operators in its neighborhood. I bet Turkey will go back to F-35 in the future, of course at some political cost.
