Competing firms submit final bids for Brazil jet contract
Three competing firms submitted their final bids Friday for a
coverted multi-billion-dollar contract to sell Brazil 36 high
performance fighter aircraft, the Brazilian Air Force said.
The Rafale fighter, made by France's Dassault Systemes, was favored
to win the competition with the Swedish-made Gripen and Boeing's F/A-18
Super Hornet to replace Brazil's aging fleet of 12 French-made Mirage
jets,
The Brasilian government has openly said it is leaning toward the
Rafale because France has offered to share technology with Brazil.
The technology transfer offer was repeated and confirmed by French
President Nicolas Sarkozy in meetings with his Brazilian counterpart
Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, but the other two manufacturers were given an
opportunity to improve their bids.
AFP |