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French firm ahead in race for Brazil jet contract: Lula
Brasilia (AFP) Sept 3, 2009 France's willingness to share military technology gives Dassault the edge in the battle for the multi-billion-dollar contract to replace Brazil's fighter fleet, the Brazilian president told AFP. "France has shown itself to be the most flexible country in terms of transferring technology, and evidently, this is an exceptional comparative advantage," Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said in an exclusive interview Wednesday. "A country of Brazil's importance cannot buy a product from another country without technology transfer." The Rafale fighter, made by France's Dassault Systemes, is in fierce competition with the Swedish-made Gripen and Boeing's F/A-18 Super Hornet for a contract worth several billion dollars to supply Brazil with 36 fighter aircraft. Brazil is looking to buy the aircraft to replace its aging fleet of 12 French-made Mirage jets. Lula would not say which aircraft he prefers, but said he may talk Thursday by telephone with France's President Nicolas Sarkozy after meeting with Brazil's defense minister and the commander of the air force. Sarkozy is scheduled to make a 24-hour visit Sunday to Brasilia where he will be the guest of honor at Brazil's independence day celebrations. Lula recalled that during the visit Brazil and France would finalize a separate deal to acquire French submarines and helicopters. "France is the only important country ready to discuss with us technology transfers in all these domains," he said. "Brazil has drawn up a strategic defense plan. We are convinced ... that because of the Amazon, our deep-water offshore oil deposits, Brazil should have a defense industry in keeping with its size and importance," Lula said. The Brazilian president's statement favoring the French fighter alarmed at least one of the rival bidders. A spokeswoman in Brazil for Swedish company Saab which makes the Gripen, Lais Guarrizzi, told AFP: "The personnel at Saab are a bit surprised at President Lula publicly stating such a preference." All three warplane makers are lobbying hard ahead of Brazil's announcement of the winner. The contract is worth around four billion dollars and will define the cutting edge of Brazil's air force for the next few decades. Share This Article With Planet Earth
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Colombia bases row fuels arms raceBariloche, Argentina (UPI) Sep 2, 2009 An ongoing row over U.S. military cooperation with Colombia to fight the drug cartels is indirectly fueling weapons buying among Latin American countries, analysts said. Member countries of the Union of South American Nations gathered at this lakeside resort in response to an initiative by Argentine President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner to heal the rift between Colombia and its ... read more |
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