Russia and Italy vie for Brazilian military helicopter contract

[tigershark]

 Russia and Italy vie for Brazilian military helicopter contract

The Associated Press
Monday, April 28, 2008

SAO PAULO, Brazil AP) — Companies from Russia and Italy are front-runners for a contract to sell attack and transport helicopters to Brazil's air force, the business newspaper Valor Economico reported Monday.

Russia's state-owned arms exporter Rosoboronexport and Italy's Agusta Aerospace are vying for a US$500 million (€320 million) contract for up to 12 helicopters.

An air force spokesman said, however, that Bell Helicopter and Sikorsksy of the United States and France's Eurocopter also have submitted proposals that are being analyzed. He denied that any of them has an edge.

The spokesman, who declined to be identified in line with departmental regulations, did not confirm the value of the contract or provide further details.

Valor Economico said the air force had turned down proposals by the U.S. and French companies and was studying Rosoboronexport's offer of MI35 helicopters and Agusta's for its AW-109.



Source
http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/04/28/business/LA-FIN-Brazil-Helicopters.php

[SAS73]

nonpilot I found this:
Last year competition for the purchase of 10-12 attack helos received proposals from AgustaWestland (AW 109LUH and ), Eurocopter (Tiger) and Rosoboronexport (Mi-35M).

The Tiger was too expensive so the two final competitors are the AW-129 (former Mangusta) and the Mi-35. The decision will be known in coming weeks. Brazilian air force (FAB) pilots already went to Italy and Russia to test flights.

Untill recently, MI-35 seemed to be the favorite but political questions arised: in choosing the Mi-35 brazil may appear to be under Hugo Chavez´s influence. A brazilian site quoted an russian official in FIDAE 2008 saying that "Our arms sells to Venezuela have oppened Latin America market to our competitors.".

Tha aside, personally I think the Mi-35 is the better choice, both are very capable machines but Mi´s transport capacity make it ideal to operations in the rain forest, which is the region that need to be watched in Brazil.

And its not the Agusta AW-109 its the AW-129



http://www.defesanet.com.br/md1/helos_1.htm

[tigershark]

Thanks SAS73
Russia still pushing the Mil-35 and not the newer Mil-28N, I guess (smile face) it's not ready yet.  I might be wrong but I don't see Brazil buying such a old design.   

[SAS73]

But finally its the AW-109 or the AW-129?