The U.S. Reinforces Compensation for Fighter Jet Sale

Patrícia Campos Mello-Estado de São Paulo, 11/02/09

Photo courtesy of Flickr user Mike Rollinger

The United States improves its proposal to sell 36 F-18 Boeing fighter jets to the Brazilian Air Force (Força Aérea Brasileira). If the Brazilian government buys the 36 jets from Boeing, Embraer will automatically receive a contract to produce and assemble the wings for 58 Super Hornet jets destined to the United States  Navy.

The American government argues that Boeing’s proposal is better than the two other bids because it already includes an additional contract—that of the 58 Navy planes. Meanwhile, the additional gains proposed by Sweden (Saab’s Gripen jets) and France (Dassault’s Rafale jets) depend on third party countries. “This is important, because France has had difficulties selling their fighter jets to other countries,” an American source told the Estado de São Paulo. However, for Boeing to be able to make the delivery deadlines 12 of the F-18 fighter jets would be assembled in the United States and the 24 remaining jets would be assembled in Brazil.

In relation to the transfer of technology, another major concern of the Brazilian government, the United States argues that Swedish and French jets contain American technology—the turbine engines of the Swedish jets and some of the parts of the French jets are produced in the United States. “They have sensitive technology that requires our approval in order to sell to Brazil,” said a source from the American government. “Both the French and the Swedes believe in the United States’ guarantee of the transfer of technology. They believe in it so much that they are willing to offer their jets to Brazil without the fear that the sale would be blocked by the United States.”

Click here to read the original article in Portuguese.

Click here to read the  interview Ellen Tauscher, the Under Secretary for Arms Control and International Security of the United States, gave to the Estado de São Paulo.

It would be a pity for Brazil not to take the best plane and the best opportunity

Patrícia Campos Mello-Estadão de São Paulo, 11/02/09

Photo courtesy of flickr user Mike Rollinger

According to Ellen Tauscher, the Under Secretary for Arms Control and International Security of the United States, the fighter jet sale would help deepen the relations between the United States and Brazil.

The sale of F-18 Boeing fighter jets to the Brazilian Air Force will strengthen the ties between the governments of the United States and of Brazil and will create a more dynamic strategic relationship between the two countries. This was the message of the Under Secretary for Arms Control and International Security, Ellen Tauscher. “Its a great opportunity to strengthen our relationship with Brazil,” said Tauscher reporting directly to the Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, after being in Brazil in August to deliver a letter from the Secretary to the Brazilian government.

“The most important aspect of this deal is our relationship with the Brazilian people and the Brazilian government,” said Tauscher in an interview with the Brazilian newspaper O Estado de São Paulo. Commenting on the advantages of the French Rafale Dassault fighter jets, Taucher affirmed, “We are not confused about what we are offering; we still have the better planes, the biggest aerial-space company in the world, and we are still the United States of America. We believe that, in the end, these are the important parameters.”

According to Tauscher, the Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, the Secretary of Defense, Robert Gates, and the American President, Barack Obama, are all personally involved in the sale. “Frankly, it would be a shame if Brazil does not take the best planes and the best opportunity.”