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Aviation History
1998
1998 - 0554.PDF
FIDAE'96 Chile tastes US thaw Chilean show FIDAE '98 will reflect growing prospects in the region GRAHAM WARWICK/WASHINGTON DC CHILE'S 10th international aerospace exhibition, FIDAE '98, comes at a time when the prospects for sales to Latin America are better than ever before. Real business will be on the agenda when exhibitors from some 30 countries meet at Santiago's Los Cerillos Airport on 23-29 March, fostered by the region's continued political stability and economic growth. Chile itself is the best example of Latin America's growing economic muscle, and the air force's pending selection of new fighters is a leading example of die region's increasing buy ing power. The lour contenders (the Boeing F-18, Dassault .Mirage 2000, Lockheed Martin F-16 and SaabJAS39 Gripen) will lead the line up of aircraft on display. While no announce ment is expected at the show itself, a decision is imminent and could come during or soon after the prestigious Summit of the Americas, which will be staged in Santiago in April. Each of the competitors, meanwhile, can be expected to mount a concerted effort at FIDAE '98 to sway political and public opinion in favour of their designs. They can expect to share the limelightwith a substantial number of other air craft - military and civil. The Argentine, Brazilian and Chilean air forces will be well rep resented, underlining the spirit of co-operation, rather than confrontation, that is being fostered between the region's armed forces. This change is responsible largely for die US decision to lift its blanket embargo on the supply of advanced weaponry to Latin America, replacing it with die case by case consideration usually afforded to other countries. This has allowed US compa nies to exhibit in strength at recent FIDAE shows, but is no guarantee that either the F-16 or F-18 will win in Chile. US contractors admit that they are still work ing to overcome the mistrust engendered in Latin America by the only recently lifted arms embargo. Government to government assur ances of continued product support will be a key factor in any decision by Chile to buy a US fighter, and in competitions pending in Brazil and, eventually, Argentina. Lockheed Martin claims credit for mar shalling the forces behind lifting the US arms embargo, but acknowledges that this does not guarantee success for the F-16. Instead, the company is taking a wider and longer term view of business opportunities in Latin America, pointing to the prospects for large scale infra structure projects in the region, in telecommu nications, airspace management and even fingerprinting -particularly as countries dis mantle barriers on the road to the desired hemi- 28 FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL 18 - 24 March 1998
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