ABSTRACT
The Indo-Pacific region is vast, with the distance from Mombasa, Kenya to San Francisco over 12,000 nautical miles. Spanning 19 time zones, and connecting six of the globe’s seven continents, the Indian and Pacific Oceans border on the world’s most populous nations and connect five of its largest economies. Europe’s role in the Indo-Pacific aerospace domain extends beyond commercial and military sales to the region. Great Britain and France continue to count among the very few countries in the world that field full spectrum conventional air forces as well as deterrent nuclear arsenals and delivery platforms. The British government contends that the United Kingdom, with the world’s sixth largest economy and relationships around the world, is a global actor and Europe’s largest national security contributor. France likewise devotes considerable resources to its air force, and given its territories in the Indian and Pacific oceans, is committed to playing a geopolitical role in the Indo-Pacific region.
