Brazil Picks its Fighter Finalists

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.

by Graham Warwick
Link

This is interesting i thought the Su was the front runner.
Let the games begin

`success` for the F-18 is 1 sale to 1 country....

im sure its down to rafale and gripen - and teh 100% offsets being offered by saab to everyone means they are onto a winner

They must have budgetary constraints. I cant see why else they would ding the Typhoon or Sukhoi.

reply to post by 44soulslayer


value for money - they want more aircraft for there $$$ , which is why i think they`ll buy the gripen

I'm with 44. I think the Gripen will win - the Hornet is more costly to maintain.

gripen is cheaper but is it as capable

interesting

Norway will most likly go for the Grippen N, due to low cost and a good program for further developing works in Norway to support the Grippen program.

Im not as surpised here:

The Typhoon was clearly the most capable overall fighter but the high Euro may have killed it. The F-16 Block 60 versus the Grippen? Its a bit of a tossup IMHO (Don't get me wrong, I love the Grippen)

The Su-XXX was DOA IMHO why? Based on other threads the fighter is quite good, but getting spare parts and MRO activites is challanging to say the least. Why is India looking elsewhere.

The Rafale may be the dark horse winner here. The French government is really desperate to make a sale and my sell below cost an offer offsets.

Boeing has the advantage of a weak dollar and can afford to be agressvie with the pricing structure as well in addition to offsets.

The bottom line? Whoever offers the best value including offsets and perhaps some under the table motivation will get the contract.