The Brazilian defence ministry has signed an agreement to purchase the French navy's Foch aircraft carrier.
Negotiations started late last year and ran parallel to the examination of other proposals, including the construction of a new carrier by Spain's Empresa Nacional Bazan.
Brazil opted for the Foch under a $12 million agreement signed last week. Renamed as the Sïo Paulo, the carrier will be commissioned into the Brazilian navy on 15 November at Brest, France, where the ship will receive minor modifications before arriving in Brazil in January next year.
The Brazilians expect to decommission the carrier Minas Gerais in 2002/3, although a final plan is still undecided. The ship could be bought by the Argentine navy, which has previously practised carrier operations from the ship.
Sao Paulo is capable of operating a 30 aircraft airwing with Brazil expecting to embark its recently purchased McDonnell Douglas A-4KU/TA-4KU Skyhawks, along with Sikorsky SH-3D/ ASH-3D Sea King anti-submarine warfare (ASW)and Eurocopter Super Puma helicopters. It is also considering the acquisition of long-range ASW assets, probably modernised and re-engined Grumman S-2 Trackers and an organic airborne early warning capability mounted either on Trackers or SH-3Ds.
Prior to its decommissioning, Minas Gerais will be used for the initial carrier qualification of the Skyhawks during the last quarter of this year.
The arrival of the first group of US Navy-trained Brazilian naval pilots allowed VF-1 - the A-4 squadron - to begin operations in May.
Further pilots are being converted to the Skyhawk at NAS Meridian, Missouri although it is expected that the task will be performed in Brazil from next year after candidates have received flight training at the Brazilian air force's academy and weapons training unit.
Source: Flight International
