The future of the world fighter market has long been linked to the U.S. Joint Strike Fighter program. However, the prospects for JSF have grown cloudy, affecting the future of the other players.

The U.S bomber force remains one of the greatest legacies of the Cold War era. While this fleet looks set to receive extensive upgrade funding in the coming years, the prospect of it being reinforced by new aircraft is increasingly unlikely. After the Kosovo experience, the U.S. military again began to question the possibility of a new bomber procurement effort. Options discussed include renewed procurement of Northrop Grumman's B-2, or a lighter, less expensive B-2 variant, or an all-new bomber using new technologies.

In September 2000, the U.K. Royal Air Force agreed to pay $725 million for the lease of four Boeing C-17s. This was the first export order for the C-17 and, more importantly, for any Western strategic transport. The aircraft will satisfy the RAF's Short-Term Strategic Airlift requirement (STSA) and will be delivered to the RAF by September 2001. The U.K. decision is undoubtedly a huge breakthrough in the military airlifter market, which has always been undersized and overdiscussed. For once, a country is not just talking, but spending, on strategic lift.