One of the first acts of new Brazilian president Luiz In cio Lula da Silva was to shelve the F-XBR fighter procurement until next year as the incoming administration concentrates on meeting an election pledge to battle famine in the country.
Other programmes do not appear to have been affected and new Brazilian defence minister Jos‚ Viegas Filho says F-X has not been cancelled but delayed as part of the armed forces' commitment to Lula's fight against famine.
Lt Brig Luiz Carlos Bueno, Brazilian air force commander, says he is not disappointed with the president's decision, and that the air force is "working with the government, not against it".
Bueno says the move does not jeopardise other programmes such as modernisation of the air force's Northrop F-5Es and Alenia/Embraer AMX fighters.
Air force sources say the recent selection of EADS Casa to provide 12 C295 tactical transports and modernise nine Lockheed Martin P-3B Orion maritime patrol aircraft are not at risk.
Although the service entry of F-X fighters has been delayed further, the air force's 18 Dassault Mirage IIIEBR/DBRs will be retired in 2005as planned. Filho says ongoing studies to lease or acquire used fighters to cover the capability gap will be re-evaluated.
Local observers, meanwhile, suggest Lula's decision is merely political as no funds have been specifically allocated - and are consequently unavailable for Lula's hunger relief campaign. The purchase would be financed over seven to eight years.
According to local political analysts, the decision was the best solution to defuse a potentially harmful political issue at the start of the government's tenure. During his campaign, Lula vocally supported Embraer's Dassault Mirage 2000BR bid, while the air force's preference is for the Sukhoi Su-35 or Saab/BAE Gripen.
Source: Flight International
