Su-35 news

Russia to Offer New Su-35 Fighter Planes in External Market in 3-4 Years

In 2004-2005, Russia plans to offer a multi-purpose fighter plane Su-35 on
the external market, Mikhail Pogosyan, general director of the Sukhoi
aviation military-industrial complex, told a Thursday press conference in the
city of Bangalore, in India, where the International Aerospace Exposition
is currently taking place.

The Su-35 is a further modification of the group of Su-27 and Su-30 planes, he
said.

After 2004, Russia will be ready to offer Su-35 planes to India, Pogosyan said.
In addition, the general director of the Sukhoi military- industrial complex
said he did not rule out that the Su-30 planes currently supplied to India
may be modified in the future.

Pogosyan said he did not rule out the possibility of cooperation with India in
the construction of fifth-generation planes. He said that this year the
Sukhoi design bureau is starting the full-scale development of such a
plane on the basis of the S-37 model.

Licensed production of Su-30 planes is possible not only in India but also in
other countries, Pogosyan said.

/Interfax/

Russian Su-35 May Win Tender for Purchase of Airplanes for Brazilian Air Force

The Russian Su-35 may win the tender for the purchase of airplanes for the Brazilian air force, Rosoboronehksport representative, Vadim Vasilyev, has reported to RIA Novosti who was visiting Brazil as the head of the Russian delegation in connection with the on-going competition.

The results of the tender will be announced officially next week. ``Everything will become clear in a week,`` Vadim Vasilyev said. ``We have a basis for counting on victory.``

In any event, independent of the tender results for the airplanes, ``Rosoboronehksport intends to be included in the tender for the purchase of heavy transport helicopters for the Brazilian air force which will be announced in July of this year, he emphasized.``

Source: 03.06.02, RIA Novosti

Translated by Roy Cochrun /http://www.toad.net/cgi-bin/cgiwrap/royfc/today/acft_news.html/

AVIA.RU - Информационное агентство "Российская авиация и космонавтика"

Эххх, в Малайзию уже поставили :-(

Tuesday June 4, 7:28 pm Eastern Time
Reuters Company News
Brazil eyes Russia's 'Super Flanker' fighter

By Axel Bugge

BRASILIA, Brazil, June 4 (Reuters) - Russia's Sukhoi Su-35 fighter jet has a "close to 90 percent" chance of being the winner in a Brazilian tender to buy up to 24 new supersonic fighters for $700 million, Sukhoi's Brazilian partner said on Tuesday.
The purchase, which may be decided next week, is set to be one of the biggest arms deals in recent Latin American history and is hotly contested by such heavyweights as Lockheed Martin Corp. (NYSE:LMT - News) with its F-16 fighter, BAE Systems Plc (London:BA.L - News) and Brazil's Embraer (Sao Paolo:EMBR4.SA - News; NYSE:ERJ - News) together with France's Dassault Aviation SA (Paris:AVMD.PA - News).

But Sukhoi's bid with its so-called Su-35 Super Flanker fighter is likely to beat them all, said Joao Brasil, a director at Brazilian rocket and missile maker Avibras Aerospacial SA, which will help produce the Russian jet if the partners win the contract.

Sweden's (Stockholm:SAABb.ST - News) Saab is bidding in the contest together with BAE with its Gripen fighter, while Embraer and Dassault are offering a version of Dassault's Mirage strike plane.

"We are not opening the Champagne bottles until next week," Brasil told Reuters, but added that "we are getting close to 90 percent" certainty of winning. "All the circumstantial evidence is pointing that way."

A report in daily Folha de Sao Paulo over the weekend said that Brazil's Air Force had pinpointed the Su-35 as its first choice in the competition on technical grounds, listing qualities such as its long flying range and extensive reach of its radar systems in addition to low price tag.

"If we can confirm that we are chosen technically, then we are sure to have won," said Brasil, adding that he had not seen the Air Force report as it had not been released.

However, politics and not just technicalities will enter into the play when the decision is taken. President Fernando Henrique Cardoso, the heads of both houses of Congress, the finance minister and defense ministers all sit on the council that has the final sy.

[ слишком длинный топик - автонарезка ]

While there have been previous delays in the tender, Brasil said the council is expected to meet on June 12 and formally announce its decision on June 15. The government has not said when it will make the final decision.

Sector experts have seen Embraer and Dassault as the likeliest winners because their bid offers an element of local production to the jets if they win, securing jobs for the country's flagship company. Embraer has said it could produce a special version of Dassault's Mirage here, known as the 2000-BR, which could one day be exported to other countries.

Embraer is the world's fourth largest civilian airplane maker and Brazil's top exporter.

Brasil disputes Embraer's argument that it would be the only company offering some production of its plane locally, saying Sukhoi and Avibras would do the same and that the Su-35 could also eventually be made in Brazil for export.

In transcripts from a special Congressional testimony on the deal sent by e-mail to Reuters, Brasil quoted a senior Air Force member as saying: "This plane (the Mirage) will not be produced in Brazil."

Embraer has not explicitly said what part of the production process would take place in Brazil.

Brasil said what his company will do locally in the production of the Su-35 is to write the software for the plane, in addition to the arms, systems and electronics integration.

Additionally, Brasil said his company and Russia would jointly build a $220 million service center in Brazil, ensuring that all repairs and maintenance will be done here — the only bidders in the competition offering such followup.

Brasil, whose company teamed up with Sukhoi during a visit to Russia earlier this year by Brazil's President Fernando Henrique Cardoso, said a deal with Russia would also offer the greatest advantages in other areas such as increased trade.

"(Russian President Vladimir) Putin was very assertive in showing Russia's interest in presenting this bid," when he met with Cardoso, Brasil said. "If this bid is seen from a country-to-country scenario in terms of which country Brazil can triple or quadruple its trade with, the answer is Russia."