Brazil fighter jet deal 'urgent': minister
Published: 30 Sep 11 12:19 CET | Print version
Online: http://www.thelocal.se/36458/20110930/
Brazil's defense minister has said that the country has an "urgent´" need of new combat aircraft, reigniting renewed speculation about a multi-billion-dollar deal potentially involving Swedish Saab's Gripen NG.
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The French Dassault's Rafale fighter, the US Boeing's F/A-18 Super Hornet and the Swedish Saab's Gripen NG have long been in stiff competition for the estimated $4-7 billion contract, as Brazil has postponed a final decision.
Brazil earlier this year postponed the expected purchase to 2012, citing the need for budget cuts in 2011 due to the deteriorating world economy.
But Defence Minister Celso Amorim said Thursday that there was little time to waste, as Brazil's current fleet is aging rapidly.
"By the end of 2013, none of the 12 Mirage (aircraft) at the Anapolis air base will be in full flying condition. This is something that is really urgent, very important," Amorim said, according to a state-run news agency.
"The need to defend the Amazon, the borders - We need to have adequate combat aircraft," he said.
He reiterated Brazil's position that the "transfer of technology" is the key sticking point, as the emerging economic giant is keen to develop its own fighter aircraft manufacturing capability.
Brazil has repeatedly delayed making a decision on the tender for 36 new fighter jets.
Former Brazilian president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva had promised to declare a winner before leaving office at the end of 2010, but instead handed the tender over to his successor, Dilma Rousseff, who has put off making a choice and shown no preference for any of the jets.
The winning jet will form the spearhead of Brazil's air force for the next three decades and replace the vintage jets now patrolling the vast Amazon forest and protecting offshore oil finds.
What do you think? Leave your comment below.
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For what reason would Sweden let Brazil "take over" the Gripen project, just like that? When it comes to military equipment I don't think common market rules can apply that easily.
Economics of scale. A Brazilian takeover or coopting would guarantee a bright future for the Gripen. For example, the next generation Gripen with the superhornet engine would be built for sure. Everyone knows that swedens defenceneeds are too small to be the anchor customer for Gripen. Everyone stands to gain if Brazil deems that this is what Brazil wants.
Whose idea was it for a tiny country to enter the highly compeitive fighter jet industry anyway?
You make a cocksure assertion and then in the next sentence let on that you know absolutely nothing about the subject at hand? Funny.
Brazil bring alot of knowhow from their aerotech industry as well. And production and market potential. Its not like Brazil would swallow it up, they would be dependent on Linköping and SAAB for the forseeable future. But a partnership would definately serve both SAAB and sweden.
sweden is simply too small now after the end of the cold war to be a base for a fighter platform. There is too much politics involved in arms purchases to begin with and even more with a flagship product such as a fighter jet. Thats what it looks like to me anyway.
I think coopting with Brazil in this would benefit that very reason. Right now sweden is too small to support the platform. And it would be a shame to just let it die. It is a brilliant design.
sweden would benefit from keeping the productionline open. And Brazil would benefit from the very generous technology-sharing deal that is being discussed. As long as sweden maintains production capacity, it is not a problem if Gripen in some respects move to Brazil.
If Brazil wants to be the only south american country to produce and develop jet fighters this is the best route for Brazil, in my opinion. India tried it on their own and its a cautionary tale. Im sure india will get there in the end but 20 years later and at a much steeper price than what is possible to Brazil right now.
Yes, you're right.
Grippen has recovered all its massive development costs, sold hundreds of planes, and Saab's only problem is building enough of them to satisfy demand. Meanwhile, Boeing and Dassault quake in fear at the awesome sales machine that is Saab.
It's a good job we have you around to keep us straight on these things.
"See Norway's blunder."
Yep and now it actually feels pretty good when gotten the chance to laugh at them - remembering how they demonstratively were sawing the Gripen by the ankles. ;-)
I don't think that is an issue with the Rafale, plus France has had a cooperation with Brazil for a long time.
Instead of parroting ignorant journalist drivel, why dont you make an informed and thoughtful critique of the 1982 descicion, with the benefit of hindsight? Noone could know that the cold war would end back then. And no other platform was acceptable to the bas 90 system. Look at finland who had to buy a horrendously expensive aircraftcarrier design instead of the gripen?
The gripen project is as successfull as such a project can be. It is by far the most bang for your buck you can get these days. This is achived by avoiding designcreep and by using an unpresidented ratio of off the shelf components.
Sales, well, its sold to Czech republic, Hungary, Thailand, South Africa and the Empire Test Pilots' School. It is a probable choice in Switzerland and a contender in Brazil and India and a candidate for numerous others. If anything, the JAS 39 looks like the f-16 of todays world? With the F-35 project being in the state it is in it is not unlikely that some of the participants will opt out and go for Gripen instead.
Yes, the swedish state overbought to keep the project afloat. That might be right or wrong, but it can be hardly be described as a crazy descicion.
Fact, as Jostein has said, the JAS39 has got the most bang for your buck, and is the aircraft that fits the RFQ parameters best, but that amounts to about 10% of the decision to purchase.
If meeting a a spec and price was the only basis for decision, then SAAB would have sold the Viggen to India 30 years ago. The whole thing is a about geo politics and political sphere of influence. The bits that very few people get to see or know about.
If you want to know what really goes on in the world of aircraft sales, buy my book when I write it in a couple of years. ( Only problem I have is finding a safe place to live afterwards)
it's a known fact what goes on, not only in aircraft sales. not sure you need to fear for stating the obvious in printed format. Many others have done so in the past.