Mike Martin/DUBAI
The expression "never say die" could well be French judging from comments at the Gifas press conference yesterday. Despite Lockheed Martin closing on its long-awaited signing of the deal to sell Block 60 F-16s, the delegation have not given up hope of a switch to the Dassault Rafale.
In a none-too-thinly veiled reference to the sticking point on the F-16 deal - access to the software source code on advanced technologies - Gifas chairman Jean-Paul Bechat reiterated the French line that its fighter customers get the full technology package.
"The French aerospace industry offers fully operational versions of its latest, most advanced products, free of government restrictions, as they are proposed to friendly countries, or better, to countries which have defence agreements with France," he says.
"The recent Mirage 2000-9 contract (30 aircraft) with the United Arab Emirates is exemplary in that it gives the customer direct access to all the technologies it needs to master its national defence."
In addition, customers receive a complete package of back-up and benefits such as offset deals.
Source: Flight Daily News
