Brazil Picks its Fighter Finalists

[tigershark]

Brazil Picks its Fighter Finalists
Posted by Graham Warwick at 10/1/2008 5:30 PM CDT 

Brazil has shortlisted the Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, Dassault Rafale and Saab Gripen NG for its F-X2 fighter competition, with a decision expected next year on its initial requirement for 36 aircraft to be delivered beginning in 2014. Not making the list are the Eurofighter Typhoon, Lockheed Martin Advanced F-16 and Sukhoi Su-35.

Any surprises there? The formidable Sukoi has long been rumoured to be the Brazilian Air Force's favourite, but the plucky little Gripen has always been a contender. The F-18 is enjoying an export resurgence in its latest Block 2 Super Hornet form. The Rafale is still exportless, and probably expensive, but Brazil does operate a bunch of Mirage 2000s leased from France after its last fighter contest, F-XBR, was cancelled.

Brazil requested information on the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, but the US responded with an offer of the Advanced F-16. That Brazil said no thanks is probably a sign that a change of guard is indeed under way in the export fighter market. With the F-35 up against the Gripen NG in Denmark - where the F/A-18E/F is also a contender - as well as in Norway and the Netherlands, the next few months promise to be interesting.

Source
http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/blogs/defense/index.jsp?plckController=Blog&plckBlogPage=BlogViewPost&newspaperUserId=27ec4a53-dcc8-42d0-bd3a-01329aef79a7&plckPostId=Blog%3a27ec4a53-dcc8-42d0-bd3a-01329aef79a7Post%3ac9a39888-16ed-4dd3-b7b6-d9381d956695&plckScript=blogScript&plckElementId=blogDest