Brasília – The United States Embassy in Brazil issued a press release today (9th) informing that the United States Congress has authorized the transferring of technology to Brazil for the construction of F/A-18 Super Hornet fighter jets. The United States is competing with France and Sweden for the sale of 36 fighter aircraft to Brazil.
The document also states that the United States government believes that the winner of the tender for the sale of the jets has not been chosen yet, and that it still believes that its proposal is “strong and competitive.”
“The United States government fully supports the sale of the F/A-18 Super Hornet to the Brazilian Air Force. Our government has approved the transfer of all necessary technology. We continue to believe that our proposal is strong and competitive,” claims the text.
The United States Congress has concluded the analysis of the proposal for selling the jets and transferring technology to Brazil on the 5th this month. The decision is final, and assembly of the Super Hornet in Brazil has also been authorized, according to the release.
On Monday (7th), during a visit of the French president, Nicolas Sarkozy, to Brazil, president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva announced the decision of negotiating with France for the purchase of 36 French Rafale fighter jets.
One of the reasons for the Brazilian government’s preference to the French was the fact that France agreed to transfer technology.
Yesterday (8th), the Brazilian Ministry of Defence issued a release denying that the aircraft selection process has been concluded and that the Brazilian government has already opted for the French Rafale jets.
The release informs that the Aeronautical Command will continue negotiating with the three pre-selected participants: Saab, from Sweden, Boeing, from the United States, and Dassault, from France, which respectively manufacture the Gripen NG, F-18 Super Hornet and Rafale models.
Today (9th), upon welcoming the president of El Salvador, Maurício Funes, at the Brazilian foreign office (Itamaraty), Lula was questioned by journalists about how what will happen to the negotiation process in the face of the United States’ new stance. In a high-spirited fashion, he said: “Pretty soon we are getting the jets for free.”
*Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum
