MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency
Brazilian Air Force delays for another six months bidding for huge contract
France’ Dassault is offering the Rafale fighter Brazilian Air Force has asked bidders to renew their offers on a contract to provide 36 next-generation fighter jets, extending for six months a race between US, French and Swedish contestants.
The Rafale fighter, made by French firm Dassault Aviation, is competing against the US F/A-18 Super Hornet and Swedish manufacturer Saab's Gripen for the contract valued at between 4 billion and 7 billion dollars.
The air force asks the bidders to renew their offers every six months. The last bidding window ended on June 30 and the new one will end December 31.
In a statement the air force said it was a “normal procedure” to extend the offers for the government to study them so long as the winner has not yet been selected.
Dassault's Brazilian unit chief Jean-Marc Merialdo said this marked the fourth six-month extension for the offer, but stressed that “it is a purely administrative move with no further significance.”
Brazil, Latin America's dominant power and the world's sixth-largest economy, is insisting on technology transfer in all its defence agreements. It is due to announce the winner this year.
Although France has offered full technology transfers in its bid to win the contract and the Rafale is thus seen as the best placed to finish on top, the F/A-18 is being offered at the best price.
And during a visit to Brazil earlier this year, US Defence Secretary Leon Panetta pledged US advanced technology transfers if Brasilia chooses Boeing's supersonic jet.
Top Comments
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Read all commentsAs what I wrote some time ago, the F-18, properly armed, is an excellent choice with superior capability to fight effectively against anyone. The Americans however will not be as open sharing certain aspects of classified technology as others will.
Jul 09th, 2012 - 06:23 am 0Also, it was very unfair of how the recently Super Tucano light attack aircraft $355 million deal was unfairly cancelled by the Obama government.
The Saab Gripen is an excellent choice from a cost/performance standpoint. It does the job well and frankly as long as Brazil wishes to defend itself, the fighter would satisfy their needs.
The French will do almost anything to sell their Rafael. Its performance is no where near the Typhoon, but they would offer almost unlimited cooperation in what the Brazilian demands are AND there would be a Rafael version for use on Brazil's new carrier.
I'm very pro-American, but it's obvious Brazil's best interests would be served going with the Europeans.
I suspect the bidding will continue well into 2013...
l would have thought that Brazil would have the capability to produce its own combat aircraft.
Jul 09th, 2012 - 08:42 am 0Super Tucano double-dealing has damned the F18 bid.
Jul 09th, 2012 - 10:38 am 0Embraer, on its own, is nor ready for state-of-the-art front-line first-world fighters.
Brasil is in no hurry.
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