April 25, 2012, 13: 38 Brasilia, 25 Apr (PL) in an attempt to tip the balance in his favour, United States said today the provision of transfer technology if Brazil opts for the purchase of fighter aircraft F/A-18 Super Hornet, to modernize the air force.
To speak at an event with Brazilian officers in the Superior war school in Rio de Janeiro, the Secretary of Defense of United States, Leon Panetta, said Congress already guaranteed its support to allow sharing of these aircraft technology, where Brasília buy.
Since two years ago, the Brazilian Government studying bids from companies French Dassault Rafale aircraft; the Swedish Saab with the Gripen NG, and of the American Boeing, with the aforementioned F/A-18 Super Hornet, to acquire 36 devices, whose cost could reach $ 10 billion.
“Is an exclusivity that we only give to our closest allies”, he stressed Panetta, according to newspaper reports on the speech of the Secretary of Defense, which answered the claims of his Brazilian counterpart, Celso Amorim, at press conference on Tuesday, after a bilateral meeting of one hour.
After ensuring that there still is no nothing determined and time to choose the model, Amorim reiterated that the criterion for selection is based on three fundamental aspects: price, quality and guarantee of transfer of technology.
“There are some difficulties in order to achieve greater cooperation in the area of technology between the two countries,” he said Amorim and pointed out that if United States has interest in deepening relations with Brazil it is important that it is not only a link for purchase and sale, but to develop alliances.
The Brazilian Minister told him he stressed to Panetta “the question of the transfer of technology.” “Are not talking about donation, but access to technology”, he added.
Panetta today concludes his two day visit to Brazil, where he arrived from Colombia, at the start of a tour of South America that will take him also to Chile in Rio de Janeiro. There he will end his tour next Friday.
ODA/ale
