| Sarkozy has been a busy boy ... |
Sept. 6 (Bloomberg) -- Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said his government is in "very advanced" talks to buy 36 Rafale fighter jets from France's Dassault Aviation SA.
Lula, in an interview with Radio France Internationale, said he will discuss Dassault's warplanes with Defense Minister Nelson Jobim in the next few days. Dassault is competing against Boeing Co., which produces the F-18 Super Hornet, and Saab AB, which makes the Gripen plane, to win the order from Brazil.
| The Rafale is considerably behind the F-18E in performance (I've read) but perhaps Brazil doesn't need the ultimate airplane. The Rafale can fly from the Sao Paolo which (I don't believe) the F-18 can do, so perhaps that's another issue driving this. |
"The discussions are advancing well," Lula told the radio station during an interview in Brasilia today. "We are on the same path as the French. Our discussions are very advanced and I think we'll come to a good conclusion."
Brazil last October chose Dassault, Saab and Boeing as the three finalists to help the country build and modernize its military. Brazil's Senate last week approved a bank loan of 6.1 billion euros ($3.3 billion) that the government will use to build five submarines and 50 helicopters in partnership with France.
| Giving the French an inside track ... |
Brazil is seeking the transfer of the technology required to build portions of the aircraft, Lula said.
"There are other competitors but we're in very deep talks with the French," Lula said today. "The competitor willing to share technology will have a major advantage."
| Brazil already makes some simpler combat and commercial aircraft. This would be a big deal and would advance them considerably. |
Lula said he couldn't say whether a deal would be signed during French President Nicolas Sarkozy's visit to Brazil this week. |