WARTON, England, June 11 (Reuters) - Sales of combataircraft in the Middle East and Asia will more than compensatefor cutbacks in U.S. and European spending, Britain's BAESystems predicted on Tuesday.
Europe's largest defence contractor forecast internationalmarkets outside its U.S. and European heartlands would rise toaccount for around half of turnover at its military air andinformation unit by 2016, up from around 25 percent currently.
"This is a prudent view," Peter Anstiss, businessdevelopment director of the unit said at a briefing on Tuesdayin Warton, in north west England.
"Very clearly, the international market could more thancompensate for the reductions in the U.S. and UK market."
BAE's aircraft include the four nation-backed EurofighterTyphoon, which it is developing in a consortium with Europeanaerospace group EADS and Italy's Finmeccanica.
Saudi Arabia and Oman have so far signed up to buy Typhoonjets and the plane is also vying to win deals in countries suchas Malaysia, South Korea and the United Arab Emirates.
South Korea is likely to be the next nation to decide whichaircraft it will choose when it places an order for 36 jets,Anstiss said. The Typhoon is competing against Boeing's F-15 and Lockheed Martin's F-35 fighter jet.
Countries in the Gulf region have the potential to purchase150 more Typhoon jets, Anstiss said, adding that this figureexcluded Saudi Arabia's order for 72 Typhoon jets and Oman's 12Typhoon aircraft.
In India, where the company lost a competition to supply thecountry with 126 fighters to Dassault Aviation's Rafale aircraft, BAE is waiting on the sidelines to jump back inshould the talks fall through, he said.
A decision from the Indian government with regards to asigned deal with Dassault could come before the second quarterof next year when the country holds its elections, he said.