The easy option for nations who want a small but effective fighter fleet is often to pull some F-16Cs from AMARC and recondition them (currently 112 to choose from) and the US is often willing to give them away with the purchasing nation just paying for the return to service costs. The problem is the hidden cost of the US then wanting basing and overflight privileges as part of the deal, not to mention the occasional CIA detention and interrogation facility. Watching a financially dependent Argentina try to get modern aircraft with the US restricting their choice to the A-4AR shows how much control they are willing to exert. Even Gripen can have problems because of the motor - Rafale on the other hand is one of the few options that uses entirely non-US systems, which makes it attractive for some buyers.
Military aircraft procurement is an interesting area in its own right.