Experts say Brazil-France defence pact wrong choice

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Experts say Brazil-France defence pact wrong choice
Fri 10 Oct 2008, 16:18 GMT
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By Eduardo Simoes

SAO PAULO (Reuters) - Brazil will sign a strategic defence alliance with France in December that it hopes will boost the domestic weapons industry, but critics say it may be choosing the wrong military equipment for its needs.

As part of the pact, Brazil will build a nuclear-powered submarine and around 50 helicopters under licence from the French. It has also short-listed France's Dassault in a tender for at least 36 fighter jets.

Brazil, Latin America's largest country and economy, is planning to build up its military capabilities partly to help protect huge recent oil finds off its southern coast.

But defence industry analysts say U.S. or Russian aircraft are generally more suited to Brazil's continent-sized territory and that the nuclear-propelled submarine is too expensive and inappropriate for Brazilian waters.

"I don't think it's our best (choice) strategically," said Gunther Rudzit, a former defence ministry advisor.

Choosing France was a political compromise to neither depend on U.S. technology nor alienate Washington by choosing Russia, which supplies planes to the declared U.S. enemy Venezuela, analysts said.

"With (Russia's) approach to Venezuela, the United States said it wouldn't oppose a military accord between Brazil and France," said Jorge Zaverucha, professor of politics at the Federal University in northeastern Pernambuco state.

Brazil's leftist president, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, maintains cordial relations with the United States but often distrusts Washington's interests in South America.

France's President Nicolas Sarkozy said in February he agreed in principle to have French submarines and helicopters built in Brazil and intended to sign a strategic alliance.

Brazil last year earmarked $880 million to complete a nuclear reactor it wants to mount on a submarine built in Brazil under licence by the French.

NOISY SUBS

Critics say the nuclear submarines would be easily detected because of the noise of their reactors, especially in the shallow waters along Brazil's coast, and are too expensive for the country's tight budget.

"It'll be the craziest thing we'll ever do," said Expedito Bastos, defence researcher at the Federal University Juiz de Fora in central Minas Gerais state.

"Wouldn't 20 conventional submarines be much better? We'd have a fantastic fleet in the open sea and could control our entire coast," said Bastos.

Brazil's Navy now has only five German-made submarines to patrol a coastline of more than 7,300 km (4,525 miles).

The Navy argues that a nuclear submarine can stay under water longer and travel further, thereby adding to the country's defence powers.

Critics also question Brazil's decision to short-list Dassault's Rafale and for Eurocopter, a subsidiary of EADS, to build around 50 EC-725 helicopters in Brazil.

"For a country of continental dimensions, I think American and Russian equipment would be more adequate," said Rudzit. "The Russians have a tradition of building large helicopters that can carry more soldiers or cargo."

In addition to Dassault's Rafale, Boeing's F-18 E/F Super Hornet and SAAB's Gripen are finalists in the Air Force tender for next-generation, multi-role fighter jet to replace its entire fleet over the next 15 years. The total order could increase to more than 100 aircraft.

The Defence Ministry was not immediately available to comment.

Source
http://africa.reuters.com/world/news/usnTRE49972A.html