Posted on 03/01/2012 6:40:21 PM PST by sukhoi-30mki
U.S. jet contract decision "surprised" Brazil government
RIO DE JANEIRO/SÃO PAULO (Reuters) - A decision by the United States to cancel a $355 million defense aircraft contract with Brazilian planemaker Embraer (EMBR3.SA) has surprised the government of Brazil which had hoped for the development of a bilateral defense program, Brazil's Foreign Affairs Ministry said on Thursday.
The ministry said in a statement that the government was "surprised" with the cancellation "especially with the way that it happened and the timing." The U.S. Air Force earlier this week called off the purchase of 20 Embraer's Super Tucano jets due to problems with documentation.
The light, ground-attack aircraft was sought to provide close air support for the Afghan Army in the field and as a turbo-prop training plane for Afghan Air Force pilots. With future orders, the contract is believed to be worth as much as $1 billion.
"The government believes that this situation doesn't help to the progress of bilateral relations on the defense area," the statement said.
The cancellation comes as the U.S. seeks to sell fighter aircraft to Brazil. Boeing Co's (BA.N) F-18 "Super Hornet" fighter is in competition with Dassault's Rafale (AVMD.PA) and Saab's (SAABb.ST) "Gripen NG" for an order of at least 36 jets for Brazil's Air Force.
Reuters reported on February 12, citing unnamed government sources, that Brazil is "very likely" to choose Dassault in the bid. The cancellation of the Embraer deal caused some senior figures within President Dilma Rousseff's administration to wonder if it was retaliation for Boeing reportedly falling out of favor, officials told Reuters this week.
Early on Thursday, U.S. Deputy Secretary of State William J. Burns said in Rio de
(Excerpt) Read more at reuters.com ...
Situation normal BOFU.
Obama may view this as a double win situation: Less defense for the U.S., and punish Boeing for building a non-union plant in South Carolina.
Not to pick nits, but a turboprop is hardly a "jet."
That jumped out at me too. Propeller = "Not a Jet!"
Another example of how the dumb kids (the ones who could only get into the College of Journalism) get it wrong.
It’s a jet turbine engine swinging a propeller. The original Gulf Stream-I biz jets were turbo-props. A company I worked for had one. It had a pair of Rolls Royce turbines swinging big four-bladed props.
When we climbed out from Capital City Airport near Harrisburg, PA it had so much power they could go nearly vertical on climb out. Of course, Gulf Stream-IIs and beyond are all pure jets.....no props.
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