Advise my fictional state II

[zen]

By the late 1960s European powers are well into the process of leaving Africa.
The RN is withdrawing from East of Suez.
India and Pakistan have fought another war. Or are about to.
And nearby Ethiopia and Somalia are heading towards civil war.
Vietnam is exposing the problems of a western democracy fighting a limited war.

It's a dangerous time for my fictional nearby continent. Located below Madagascar and off the South African-Mozambique coast. On which Soviet backed regimes are prevalent in the jungles of the North and across the straights in Africa.

So in this light, my fictional country spread across the center of my fictional continent, must make decisions as to what to fund domestically.and what to try to buy in from abroad.

The key question is what sort of frontline aircraft to fund.
Another simple fighter to build on previous successes?
An Attack machine to replace aging 50's aircraft?
An expensive multrole system able fight and attack?
A strike platform with Anti-ship capability?
Or perhaps an ultra large multirole system?

The Army is insistent on either a simple Fighter or Attack.
The Airforce itself prefers the expensive multirole solution.
The Navy...after loosing on grandiose plans for carrier aircraft is actually prefering the ultra large system.

Which would you advise?

 

[isayyo2]

If this is a post-colonial African state, I’m guessing they’re no more than 15 years out of independence? Economy and politics are still a bit shaky?

Best bet, refurbished A-4B’s like Argentina’s “P” model. They started deliveries in 1965. If this fictional nation is exceptionally close with the US, then A-4L’s with their then state of the art electronics were available starting in 1969.

If this nation is a former UK colony and possibly a part of the Commonwealth then used Hunters could be an option.

 

[zen]

Oh I see where you could get that Idea.
I'll correct that to clarify.
But short answer, no this has never been colonised by powers outside of the fictional continent.

 

[Orionblamblam]

But short answer, no this has never been colonised by powers outside of the fictional continent.

So... Wakanda? A fascistic dictatorial ethnostate with shaky economics based on a single export, that hasn't seen meaningful cultural or technological progress since the Romans?

 

[zen]

But short answer, no this has never been colonised by powers outside of the fictional continent.

So... Wakanda? A fascistic dictatorial ethnostate with shaky economics based on a single export, that hasn't seen meaningful cultural or technological progress since the Romans?

No they are not Wakanda, because this is not Africa and no they are a complex modern (for the era perhaps a bit behind the West) economy.
No they are not Fascist, the Xeselan Empire is home to a variety of peoples and races. As is the continent. Nor is there a complete merger of corporate, state and social interests.

 

[Orionblamblam]

But short answer, no this has never been colonised by powers outside of the fictional continent.

So... Wakanda? A fascistic dictatorial ethnostate with shaky economics based on a single export, that hasn't seen meaningful cultural or technological progress since the Romans?

No they are not Wakanda, because this is not Africa....

That's a bit confusing. The location - near Madagascar, Ethiopia and Somalia - certainly *screams* "African," as an Island near Iceland, Scotland and Norway would *scream* "European." If they are populated by non-Africans, then it seems likely that they were colonized by non-Africans at some point.

 

[uk 75]

I am not sure what the point of this exercise is but sparing going into historical geography or geopolitics and keeping your late 1960s start date the choices are pretty standard.
US F4 if money no object F5 if not USSR M23 if money no object M21 if not France Mirage III or V UK Lightning F53 Hunter

Noone is going to develop a special project for one customer. So forget Grumman Super Tigers or Avro Arrows or other pipedreams.

 

[zen]

I am not sure what the point of this exercise is but sparing going into historical geography or geopolitics and keeping your late 1960s start date the choices are pretty standard.
US F4 if money no object F5 if not USSR M23 if money no object M21 if not France Mirage III or V UK Lightning F53 Hunter

Noone is going to develop a special project for one customer. So forget Grumman Super Tigers or Avro Arrows or other pipedreams.

You have registered your opinion.

The question is fairly simple, what to fund domestically. Other requirements having to import.

Which is preferable.among the options, a simple Fighter, an Attack aircraft, a multirole aircraft.

Therefore your answer which is just buy foreign is not really helpful.

 

[uk 75]

As I suspected this is just another fantasy airplane exercise.
No problem with that but lose the cod alternate history and just give everyone a menu of budget and requirements and see if they want to play.

 

[starviking]

I am not sure what the point of this exercise is but sparing going into historical geography or geopolitics and keeping your late 1960s start date the choices are pretty standard.
US F4 if money no object F5 if not USSR M23 if money no object M21 if not France Mirage III or V UK Lightning F53 Hunter

Noone is going to develop a special project for one customer. So forget Grumman Super Tigers or Avro Arrows or other pipedreams.

You have registered your opinion.

The question is fairly simple, what to fund domestically. Other requirements having to import.

Which is preferable.among the options, a simple Fighter, an Attack aircraft, a multirole aircraft.

Therefore your answer which is just buy foreign is not really helpful.

We need more information:

Who are their allies, enemies, friendly nations, competitors?

What are their national achievements? Their exports, imports, population, government system?

Who could threaten their lines of commerce? Whose lines of commerce could they threaten?

 

[Dilandu]

It's a dangerous time for my fictional nearby continent. Located below Madagascar and off the South African-Mozambique coast.

Additional continent in this area would throw history off the track long before...

 

[Hood]

Simples, just geologically handwave that the Indian subcontinent got stuck mid Indian Ocean instead of getting its backside melted up by that plume that saw it accelerate into Asia at high speed.

Then you might have a Mediterranean sized gap at the north (woohoo two Meds makes WW2 more exciting) and a reasonable sea between the west coast and Africa/Madagsacar but there would be a nice overlap of Arabic, African, Muslim, Coptic Christian and whatever local religion (presumably a form of Hinduism) to spice up this new continent.
[You can tell I may have thought about this AU scenario before *whistles*]

It would be more fun to invent the industry from scratch from 1909 onwards, maybe from Western copies to their own stuff. Right now its mega handwave kind of territory. Basically the OP says they can build anything. What they can or can't do is going to be governed by what experience they have, especially what WW2 action kickstarted their own industry (do they have carriers? have they brought into strategic bombing, did the Japs give their fighters a whooping in 1942? etc.). That's why you really have to work from the start or we're just cherry picking.

 

[uk 75]

This seems an unnecessarily complicated way of asking the question how would you trade off the rquirements in the late 60s to replace the following from a country's own industry:
basic fighter aircraft (Sabre/Mig15/Gnat)

ground attack or light bomber (Canberra or Hunter)

Maritime strike (Wyvern or Skyraider)

Well as its Zen we are trying to reinvent the F4 and the Mig 23 from his favourite single engine all singing all dancing never built faves dressed up in fictional clothing.

 

[Deleted member 2278]

This is impossible to answer without waaay more history being made available. An island perfect for the interdiction of Cape-Indian Ocean traffic that's never been colonized?! It would have to have some kind of alignment with one of the European colonizing powers though, surely?! No-one is truly an island etc. If there are Soviet-aligned regimes in the north, that implies to me they have thrown the shackles of *something* off in relative modernity.

If we're handwaving that and they *have to* develop something indigenously (my 1st thoughts on this echo @uk 75 's - import to their current alignment) then the only real analogue that occurs is just across the water - the Atlas Cheetah. I would be extremely incredulous as to anything more complex or advanced than that being available or necessary. Even then this fictional nation will require a "sponsor state" for the engines and avionics. Even something as relatively easy to envisage as an AT-28 copy is probably going to require an imported engine.

 

[Orionblamblam]

Simples, just geologically handwave that the Indian subcontinent got stuck mid Indian Ocean instead of getting its backside melted up by that plume that saw it accelerate into Asia at high speed.

Then the entire history of India would be wiped from the timeline... and everything attached to it. Contact between Europe and China? Utterly different, with the result that European history would be utterly different. Perhaps the Roman Empire never fell. Perhaps it never rose in the first place, since the Alexandrian Empire never fell. Or the Persians dominate the entire western world, or the Mongols, or the Picts. No India, no Indo-European languages. Perhaps the Neanderthals survived and now dominate Europe.

The existence of an island the size of Hawaii in this region can probably be handwaved away. The size of Madagascar? Mmmm, maybe. India? Naw. An actual *continent* is the sort of thing that people notice and fight over. Especially when you start figuring what sort of resources it has. And what the existence of a continent does to ocean flow patterns, what its mountains and deserts do to the winds. The existence of this new continent might mean that the mid 20th century is a time of deep ice ages, with sea levels so low that the Mediteranean is a dry ditch and the glaciers are a mile thick over what would have been Atlanta.

 

[zen]

Ok quick geography.
Continent is very roughly lenticular comprised of Queen Maud Land, separated from Antarctica to remain off the African coast.

North is mountainous and wet, being just south of Madagascar.
Western coast is a bit Norwegian as main mountain chain runs north-south. Major rivers run south-west across Central plains.

Scale is roughly Western Australia or Western Europe. The latter being more appropriate.

Southern state former British 'Colony', has territorial ambitions on the rest of the continent. This has access to European equipment, though not always the latest.

Center is main state, and the largest. The one this thread is asking questions for.

North is a series of states, mostly fallen to communism as has South Madagascar and the Kilwa Sultanate. Supported by USSR via Egypt. So Soviet equipment.

Main threat is either heavy armour driving northwards. Thankfully constrained by a narrow land corridor to the rest of the continent.
Northern threat is constrained by geography to pack animals (horse, donkey etc) and airpower.

During the late 50's, Airforce won development of domestic supersonic fighter.
Arguably this might remain in use throughout the 70's.

A development of this question is, is it worth the effort/cost to develop a successor now (60’s), or focus on the Attack missions first?

Equally is the possible threat at sea worth investing in specialist aircraft to counter?

Commerce question is a good one!
Beyond agricultural products, there ought to be a thriving manufacturing sector, resource extraction (including precious metals, rare elements and jewls) and possibly oil.....

 

[Hood]

Simples, just geologically handwave that the Indian subcontinent got stuck mid Indian Ocean instead of getting its backside melted up by that plume that saw it accelerate into Asia at high speed.

Then the entire history of India would be wiped from the timeline... and everything attached to it. Contact between Europe and China? Utterly different, with the result that European history would be utterly different. Perhaps the Roman Empire never fell. Perhaps it never rose in the first place, since the Alexandrian Empire never fell. Or the Persians dominate the entire western world, or the Mongols, or the Picts. No India, no Indo-European languages. Perhaps the Neanderthals survived and now dominate Europe.

The existence of an island the size of Hawaii in this region can probably be handwaved away. The size of Madagascar? Mmmm, maybe. India? Naw. An actual *continent* is the sort of thing that people notice and fight over. Especially when you start figuring what sort of resources it has. And what the existence of a continent does to ocean flow patterns, what its mountains and deserts do to the winds. The existence of this new continent might mean that the mid 20th century is a time of deep ice ages, with sea levels so low that the Mediteranean is a dry ditch and the glaciers are a mile thick over what would have been Atlanta.

Handwave is a big get out clause.
Even Zen's proposed Queen Maud Land mini-continent about half the size of the Indian subcontinent would have major impacts on ocean currents and climate. Less so the history of mankind I give you that.
Any alternate universe with random bits of terrain popping up (or extra random seas for that matter) results in serious butterfly theory impacts.

Indo-European languages began from the Pontic–Caspian steppe and the Yamnaya culture. The Indo refers to the northern Indian sub-continent boundary of these languages, the southwestern extent of their spread. They did not actually originate from the sub-continent itself. Proto-Indo-Iranian is around 2,000-1,000 years younger than Pre-Anatolian and Pre-Germanic and it was the Indo-Aryans moving south who gave rise to Vedic Sanskrit around 1,200 years later which was broadly contemporary with Hittite, though just pre-dating Ancient Greek.

In my scenario with a narrow Tethys Mk 2 (no wider than the Med, probably fairly mountainous either side like the Alps/Atlas) there wouldn't be a massive impedance to exchange of ideas/people once you have boats capable of paddling over the horizon any more than the civilizations of Western Eurasia found the Med to be a limit.

Anyhow none of that helps Zen is his quest for sleek supersonic fighters or rugged twin-jet attack bombers.

Well as its Zen we are trying to reinvent the F4 and the Mig 23 from his favourite single engine all singing all dancing never built faves dressed up in fictional clothing.

Whaaaat? Do you mean the Phabolous P.2161 fighter or the Exceptionalis Egging SRT.2 bomber? Or was it the P.6112 and the RTS.2? I can never remember.

 

[zen]

UK75 is just being a killjoy and frankly jumping to conclusions.
Besides he's unhappy the F4 Phantom is ruled out

 

[apparition13]

By the late 1960s European powers are well into the process of leaving Africa.
The RN is withdrawing from East of Suez.
India and Pakistan have fought another war. Or are about to.
And nearby Ethiopia and Somalia are heading towards civil war.
Vietnam is exposing the problems of a western democracy fighting a limited war.

It's a dangerous time for my fictional nearby continent. Located below Madagascar and off the South African-Mozambique coast. On which Soviet backed regimes are prevalent in the jungles of the North and across the straights in Africa.

So in this light, my fictional country spread across the center of my fictional continent, must make decisions as to what to fund domestically.and what to try to buy in from abroad.

The key question is what sort of frontline aircraft to fund.
Another simple fighter to build on previous successes?
An Attack machine to replace aging 50's aircraft?
An expensive multrole system able fight and attack?
A strike platform with Anti-ship capability?
Or perhaps an ultra large multirole system?

The Army is insistent on either a simple Fighter or Attack.
The Airforce itself prefers the expensive multirole solution.
The Navy...after loosing on grandiose plans for carrier aircraft is actually prefering the ultra large system.

Which would you advise?

Some questions:

"Another simple fighter to build on previous successes" implies you have built competitive jet fighters before. What were they analogous to? The Sabre generation? Mirage and F-5?

What is the status of your engine and avionics technologies?

What do you mean by "an ultra large multirole system"? F-111 sized, P-3 sized, VC-10/C-135 sized?

Speaking of which, what is the status of your commercial aviation industry?

Without further information I would say if you've built simple fighters before the next step in the development of your industry would be to step up the tech ladder, which means multirole. Something along the lines of a Viggen or F-1 would make sense.

 

[apparition13]

The African and Antarctic plates meet southeast of Madagascar along the South Indian Ridge. If you assume they are colliding you could have a long, skinny, and very mountainous 'continent' stretching diagonally from southwest to northeast a couple thousand miles off the African coast.

 

[riggerrob]

The level of sophistication of your weapons systems largely depends upon what your enemies are operating. Then you need more and one notch faster, heavier, etc.
To the north, look to Rhodesian experience battling communist insurgents. Rhodesia flew plenty of French-designed Allouette III helicopters because they were the first practical turbine-powered choppers, but they could only carry 4 or 5 soldiers at at time. Rhodesian soldiers needed turbine engines for high density altitudes. Late in the war, Rhodesia also bought a batch of turbine-powered Bell UH-1 Huey helicopters that could carry 10 soldiers at a time.
In the north, you will also need STOL transports and ground attack airplanes. Fixed-wing STOL airplanes are needed to move men and supplies between forward operating bases.
Ground attack airplanes need to be fast enough to out-run the opponents' airplanes while carrying enough chaff (and other counter-measures) to confuse their AAA.

To the South, you need serious anti-armor airplanes. I am guessing that the southern neighbor has British made tanks. The low end are
Scorpion light tanks, with Centurion main battle tanks at the high end ... a tough nut to crack.
Speed is determined by the top speed of the southern republic's airplanes ... the OP already suggested supersonic. My bias would be to cooperate with Israel, Romania, Sweden or Switzerland in developing a super-sonic, single-seat, light fighter and ground attack airplane. We hope that this neo-continent is far enough from Africa, that they do not need long range interceptors.

As for the neo-continental navy ... start with long-range patrol airplanes to discourage smugglers and poachers. Perhaps a single type of airframe (e.g. Lockheed KC-130) can fulfill multiple roles (MP, tanker and transport).
Maritime strike will require something faster in the Buccaneer to F-4 Phantom range.

 

[uk 75]

Even though I know where this is leading I will continue to offer reasonable real world analogues.
In Europe Sweden and Yugoslavia have successful domestic military aircraft programmes (I ignore NATO and Warsaw Pact members). Sweden is unique in being able to equip its Air Force in the period from domestic industry. However, the types are severely limited to Sweden's own needs. Gripen has found favour post 91 as a competitor to F16.

Outside Europe the most impressive insustries are in India, South Africa and Taiwan. Their designs, however, all have to be additional to rather than instead of imported combat aircraft.

So I continue to doubt that a fictional country,however rigged beyond reality, can come up with designs better rhan Marut for example

 

[zen]

What is the status of your engine and avionics technologies

A supersonic fighter was produced during the 50's and entered service in the early 60's. Moderately successful and exported/donated to a number of states. Musing on a licence to India in return for the Marut.
Powered by a single shaft turbojet, which formed the basis of a license deal to India for the HAL Marut....making it a more successful fighter.

Radar is a bit behind Western powers, but by the 60's is moving away from vacuum tubes to transistors.
Missiles....well no one really did well in this period, and the local AAM is a chunky thing in need of weight loss.

What do you mean by "an ultra large multirole system"? F-111 sized, P-3 sized, VC-10/C-135 sized?

Well I suspect a tendency to P-3/Fiddler size or above and likely overambitious.

Speaking of which, what is the status of your commercial aviation industry?

Certainly a domestic carrier for flights around the continent and over to Africa. By the 50's there would be flights to India and Europe.
Local traffic is catered for by domestic industry. But challenging the Big Players is unlikely to be successful.

 

[uk 75]

For anyone interested in creating alternative realities this old board wargame from the early 70s is worth a look.

Strategy I: Strategic Warfare 350BC to 1984

From the rulebook: Strategy 1 is not one game; rather, it is a whole system of games/simulations of the widest scope, embracing as it does the range of military-political conflict from the time of Alexander the Great up to the present and into the future.

boardgamegeek.com

 

[uk 75]

I see the single engine fighter is already appearing.
The Fiddler/P3 sized maritime aircraft is something which does not exist in our reality. A swing wing supersonic maritime patrol aircraft. Oh of course wonder where I saw one of those

 

[apparition13]

What is the status of your engine and avionics technologies

A supersonic fighter was produced during the 50's and entered service in the early 60's. Moderately successful and exported/donated to a number of states. Musing on a licence to India in return for the Marut.
Powered by a single shaft turbojet, which formed the basis of a license deal to India for the HAL Marut....making it a more successful fighter.

If you have the Marut and cooperation with India, a possible next step is a co-production deal with India to develop the HF-73 high wing design as a multi-role fighter. That could give you a not quite as capable F-18 like aircraft.

Radar is a bit behind Western powers, but by the 60's is moving away from vacuum tubes to transistors.
Missiles....well no one really did well in this period, and the local AAM is a chunky thing in need of weight loss.

At least you have something to build on.

What do you mean by "an ultra large multirole system"? F-111 sized, P-3 sized, VC-10/C-135 sized?

Well I suspect a tendency to P-3/Fiddler size or above and likely overambitious.

Speaking of which, what is the status of your commercial aviation industry?

Certainly a domestic carrier for flights around the continent and over to Africa. By the 50's there would be flights to India and Europe.
Local traffic is catered for by domestic industry. But challenging the Big Players is unlikely to be successful.

A P-3, or perhaps Atlantique, either jet or turboprop powered, might not be overly ambitious if you have regional turboprops or jets in production locally. It could form the basis for a family of support aircraft, including AEW, ELINT, and KC aircraft in addition to ASW and maritime patrol.

You might be able to go for both if you can get India on board for both. It would split development costs, and higher production runs would make both designs more affordable to both countries.

 

[martinbayer]

I see the single engine fighter is already appearing.
The Fiddler/P3 sized maritime aircraft is something which does not exist in our reality. A swing wing supersonic maritime patrol aircraft. Oh of course wonder where I saw one of those

What is this repeatedly apparent obsession of single vs. dual jet engine military planes all about? I'm aware of three basic airframes that did well, thank you very much, in either instantiation (at least in prototype stage), i.e Northrop F-5/F-20, North American T-2A/C Buckeye, and Fiat G.91R/Y. What gives? Granted, all three twinjets shared being fitted with GE-J85 engine variants, however it's still triple proof of concept that it can be done. But with respect to redundancy, I'll readily admit that I'm a two powerplant man all the way, so perhaps that's the answer .

 

[uk 75]

Zen can answer for himself as to why he always pushes single engine solutions. The RAF for one has gone the two engine route.

 

[zen]

Cost.
But perhaps if my fictional country provides a decent engine for the Marut, then this resolves matters.

 

[Hood]

Cost.
But perhaps if my fictional country provides a decent engine for the Marut, then this resolves matters.

E300 from Egypt? Or an fictional analogue of same?

A swing wing supersonic maritime patrol aircraft. Oh of course wonder where I saw one of those

Was that the Hawking Same Auld 1001?

I don't think you'd need anything like a Fiddler. Sounds like your surrounded by Moscow clients with MiG-15s and MiG-17s in the main, maybe a smattering of early model MiG-21s (which are quite frankly poop). Possibly some Il-28s but hardly any got to sub-Saharan African hands at all (some ex-Libyan ones did) in RL so the threat is not major. I think upper-end simple will do.
As to attack, well a twin-turboprop COIN type and/or armed jet trainers (think Strikemaster or single-seat MB.326) sounds best. Maybe make some Spooky conversions too. For the 70s you'd want to be thinking a JagvigA7 type multi-role I think, especially if MiG-23s start filtering in.

 

[uk 75]

The Viggen is the most successful design of a multi role single engine fighter..It has all the variants you need. Sweden is quite a large country with different security challenges so similar to this fantasy land.

 

[zen]

E300 from Egypt? Or an fictional analogue of same?

I was thinking more like Gyron Junior. Which is if anything cruder than the twin shaft E300.
Something that actually works after a variety of engines conforming to some grand plan, either bog down in research or prove unsuccessful.
They settle for what works and pile effort behind it.

Beat the Orpheus for Marut and agree a reciprocal licensing deal with India and Egypt. Only for Egypt to be seduced away by the USSR.

By the 60's their own single engine and the Marut are progressing nicely. Possibly sales and licenses to Yugoslavia and Finland.

 

[martinbayer]

Zen can answer for himself as to why he always pushes single engine solutions. The RAF for one has gone the two engine route.

No offense intended - the only reason I replied to your post was that it was the most recent one, but this issue has repeatedly crept up in other threads as well.

 

[zen]

To clarify.
This thread is asking for advice on what to fund domestically.
There is no assumption on twin or single or multiple engines.

The matter of previous products is contextual, fictional history. Where said state is now and what it already has.
Now being the late 60's .

 

[uk 75]

The only "real world" country outside Russia that has not had to import foreign designs at some stage or other (US: Canberra and Harrier France: Super Sabre) is Sweden.
Sweden I suggest has been in the fortunate position of having good relations with the US and UK despite its neutrality and is a prosperous highly developed Western country.
Zenland on the other hand has been plonked into one of the least developed and inhospitable regions of the world. Assuming its neighbours are the same as in our timeline and not the creation of Hollywood wishful thinking about Africa.
Only the US, Europe and Russia are in the position to do what Zenland is trying to do. India still has to field an aircraft comprable with Saab's finest.

 

[zen]

Errr no....massive assumptions, even outright prejudice there.
1. They are not building everything, that's not been said. A domestic industry has and a domestic market. Domestic long range civil aviation efforts are almost guaranteed to fail and domestic carriers opting for Boeing.....like everyone else did.

2. Argentina, Brazil, China, Czechoslovakia, Egypt, India, Japan, Poland, Romania, Spain (under Franco), Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Yugoslavia. All worked on various domestic projects, civil and military......I'm sure I've forgotten a few.
Granted only a few made it to service, let alone a definable success.

3. The sophistication of say Egypt or South Africa, is not generally found throughout that continent, anymore than we can judge the productivity of Asia based on the poorest states located there. But to say because Asia has no industrial success and therefore Japan cannot is blatantly false.
Let alone to say nearby Europe, being so close to Africa, cannot hope to achieve much.....

 

[apparition13]

E300 from Egypt? Or an fictional analogue of same?

I was thinking more like Gyron Junior. Which is if anything cruder than the twin shaft E300.
Something that actually works after a variety of engines conforming to some grand plan, either bog down in research or prove unsuccessful.
They settle for what works and pile effort behind it.

Beat the Orpheus for Marut and agree a reciprocal licensing deal with India and Egypt. Only for Egypt to be seduced away by the USSR.

By the 60's their own single engine and the Marut are progressing nicely. Possibly sales and licenses to Yugoslavia and Finland.

Take over the HA300 program from Spain before Egypt does and that can give you your Mach 2 simple fighter, an engine with potential (Brandner had commercial and turbofan variants in mind for development), and co-production with India.

 

[uk 75]

Sweden is the only country to have built and deployed the kind of hardware you are seeking for Zenland. Sorry that is not prejudice that is fact.
Argentina, Egypt and India drew on the talents of German engineers.
South Africa used French and Israeli technology to modify Mirages.
Japan and Taiwan used foreign designs as a basis for their national programme.
Assuming Zenland is the only prosperous stable democracy in a region which is not noted for them (sorry India and South Africa you may be democracies but stable and prosperous?) is a big ask.

 

[Michel Van]

Zen, that fictional Island
is that the underwater range south of Madagascar
or one between that and South Africa ???

On Aircraft dit you consider leftover WW2 hardware ?
as humble begin, like P-51D were used far into 1970s Africa. ( last Retired in 1984 !!! )
and B-25/PBJ-1 used as Bomber, Gunship and Navy patrol aircraft
alternative the B-24 could play that role also.

how to get that suff replaced by modern aircraft ?
Here are three things very important:

1 were is money coming ?,
2 who were the colonial overlords ?
3 how was relations ship between them and Natives ?

yes, they have to pay those Weapons some how,
Do they have resources, like rare elements needed by Industry ?, yes ? Bingo !
Who were Colonials: British, French, Portuguese ? (maybe German until 1914?)
If they had British or French and went peacefully separate ways
it realistic that Nation would buy either British or French Aircrafts for there Air force
or from both depending what they need and both can offer...

 

[uk 75]

The one african country that avoided colonial rule until Mussolini stomped it was Ethiopia.
Postwar Ethiopia did pretty well (much like Afghanistan) until the Soviet Union inspired an anti Western coup. Ethiopian Airlines somehow remained a credible airline.
However, Ethiopia never came close to meeting the conditions you want for Zenland.
Nigeria, Africa's largest economy after S Africa could barely operate Jaguars even with BAC/BAe help.
So Zenland has to be closer to India than Africa.
An Indo ethnic island like a larger Sri Lanka but without its ethnic tensions.
Siam or Thailand as anyone who has seen the King and I knows dodged colonial influence until the Vietnam War.
Perhaps Zenland enjoyed a similar charmed life