Pilot error blamed for crash that killed Brazil presidential hopeful

EFE – Fox News Latino, 1/16/2015

Pilot error caused the Aug. 13 plane crash that killed Brazilian presidential candidate Eduardo Campos and six other people, O Estado de Sao Paulo newspaper reported Friday, citing investigators’ preliminary findings.

The daily said it gained access to Brazilian air force documents that point to the pilot’s “lack of training” to fly a Cessna 560 XL aircraft and “a sequence of errors” leading up to the accident.

The airplane was carrying former Pernambuco Gov. Campos, four of his aides and two crew members.

Read more…

Brazil to declare no-fly zone over World Cup stadium

Anthony Boadle – Reuters, 3/21/2014

The Brazilian Air Force will declare no-fly zones over World Cup stadiums to prevent terrorist attacks during this year’s soccer tournament, but there’s a catch: it can’t shoot down intruders, for now.

By law, Brazil’s military can only shoot at unresponsive civilian planes on drug trafficking routes near its borders, but not over densely populated urban areas where games will be played in 12 cities.

The Air Force is asking the Brazilian government to change the shoot-down law to allow effective defense of the air space during the 64 games of the June 12-July 13 global soccer tournament, said Air Force Brigadier Antonio Carlos Egito at a news conference on Friday.

Read more…

Boeing bullish on Brazil despite loss fighter jet deal

Brian Winter – Reuters, 1/24/2014

 

Boeing Co (BA.N) says its failure to win a $4 billion-plus fighter jet deal in Brazil was a lost opportunity that will lead it to scale back planned investments in the country, although it still sees excellent opportunities in cargo, defense and biofuels.

The Chicago-based aerospace company was until last June the clear front runner to win a deal to supply at least 36 jets to the Brazilian Air Force — one of the world’s significant defense contracts.

“It’s a lost opportunity for the U.S.-Brazil relationship and for Boeing,” lamented Donna Hrinak, Boeing’s president in Brazil, in an interview with Reuters.

Read more…

More delays in Brazil air force upgrades

UPI, 04/09/2013

Piecemeal upgrades to Brazilian air force inventory are threatening to overshadow the Latin American country’s most important — and most delayed — plan to discard aging war jets and replace them with a brand-new inventory.

Brazilian military analysts say the defense establishment’s perceived priorities are not receiving the attention they deserve from President Dilma Rousseff’s administration.

Brazilian air force plans to upgrade its fighting capability have been stymied by delays over the acquisition of new fighter jets.

Read more…

Exclusive: Brazil likely won’t have new jets for World Cup

Reuters – Brian Winter & Anthony Boadle, 03/08/2013

Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff has again delayed choosing a provider for 36 new Air Force jets, meaning the country likely won’t have any next-generation fighters available for security when it hosts the World Cup soccer tournament next year.

The Air Force sent embassies representing the three companies that are finalists for the $4 billion-plus deal a letter this week requesting they renew their applications, which formally expire on March 30.

The request extends the tender period by up to another six months, the Air Force said in an statement emailed to Reuters on Friday. The finalists are Boeing Co.’s F/A-18 Super Hornet, Dassault Aviation SA’s Rafale, and Saab AB’s Gripen.

Read more…

Brazil air force may buy F-18 jets from US

Firstpost, 12/10/2012

The Brazilian air force, awaiting the outcome of the selection process for purchasing 36 fighter jets, is leaning toward the F-18 Super Hornet of the US, which is competing against the French Rafale and the Swedish Gripen, Istoe magazine said.

The weekly magazine published a document it attributes to the commission in charge of analyzing the three aircraft, which concludes that the Boeing F-18 is best suited to air force requirements and notes several of its advantages in terms of price and benefits.

According to the document, the least costly of the three jets being tendered are the Gripen of the Swedish firm Saab, the entire fleet being offered for $4.3 billion.

Read more…

Brazil plans $4 b. border security cordon

UPI, 8/14/2012

BRASILIA, Brazil, Aug. 14 (UPI) — Brazil´s plans to secure its international borders with a $4 billion security cordon are drawing international manufacturers to the contest, where they’re up against home-grown rival Embraer.

The integrated frontier monitoring system SISFRON is the second major defense competition in Brazil. The first, for the purchase of multirole jet fighters for the Brazilian air force under an FX-2 program, is still being decided by President Dilma Rousseff.

Embraer indicated it will bid for the first phase of SISFRON, likely to be worth $400 million. The entire network for the SIStema Integrado de monitoramento de FRONteiras will involve security coverage of 11 Brazilian border states and international frontiers with 10 neighboring countries.

Read more…