PAUL LEWIS / WASHINGTON DC
Embraer's exclusive tie-up with French shareholders is adding to rival's problems
The Brazilian air force's F-X fighter competition appears to be effectively narrowing down to just three players, with leading contenders Dassault, Lockheed Martin and Saab/BAE Systems due to have submitted proposals by 16 October.
Brazil is expected to formalise a shortlist of two or three bidders within a month of the submission deadline. Selection is due early next year, providing the air force's heavily constrained $700 million programme budget remains intact. The service is already juggling its finances, postponing the selection of a Lockheed Martin P-3 Orion upgrade contractor and delaying a tender for heavylift helicopters.
Six bidders are expected to submit F-X proposals, with BAE/Saab offering the Gripen, Dassault a Mirage 2000-5Mk2 and Lockheed Martin a generic F-16C/D Block 50/52. In addition, Alenia is proposing the Eurofighter Typhoon, which, however, is not expected to meet Brazilian requirements, while the RSK MiG-29 and Sukhoi Su-30 are regarded as outside runners.
Brazil has asked for proposals for 12-24 fighters. The Mirage 2000BR is considered the leading contender, with Dassault having teamed with local manufacturer Embraer, in which it has a shareholding along with other French companies, to propose a Mirage 2000-5Mk2 modified for local use. Embraer, having just laid off 1,800 civil workers, is stressing the importance of F-X to its business.
Embraer's teaming arrangement has posed a problem for competitors trying to meet Brazil's 100% offset requirement, 20% of which must be direct. The F-16 could face other issues, as the US Government has so far refused to release the Raytheon AIM-120 AMRAAM missile for sale in Latin America.
Austria has released its long-awaited request for proposals for up to 30 new fighters to replace elderly Saab J35 Drakens. Responses are due by late January and the defence ministry says a Sch25 billion ($1.7 billion) contract could be signed in the third quarter of next year. The RFP has been issued for the F/A-18, Mirage 2000, F-16 and Gripen, and to EADS for the Eurofighter Typhoon. Deliveries will be between 2005 and 2012. Austria requires 24 single seaters and six two seaters and 200% offset.Source: Flight International
