Brazil Muddles F-X2 Fighter Downselect

Brazil has taken two steps forward and one step back in its potential purchase of the Dassault Rafale fighter, but the details of France’s associated aid in development of the Embraer KC-390 tanker/transport remain unclear.

The announcement by Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva in favor of the Rafale does not appear to be final, although the fighter has been seen as a strong candidate and its position was strengthened by da Silva’s Sept. 7 independence day statement that negotiations to buy 36 Rafales were to commence.

The defense ministry, however, quickly pointed out that the FX-2 program has not come to an end, and that it was still in talks with all three bidders: Saab offering the Gripen NG, Boeing with the F/A-18E/F and Dassault.

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