Any sound bytes on Rafale? Sarkozy in town and only thing in focus is the nuclear deal. Nothing on Rafale. Have the French given up on MMRCA
When Obama was here, did you hear anything about the F18SH? MMRCA will be discussed during all these visits for sure, but only behind closed doors, because all the vendors and their countries will now give their final round of bids before the shortlisting. Not to mention that GoI will use these visits to get more advantages too!
The recent media reports about EF and Rafale leading the race, IAF not favouring US fighters (although at least the earlier don't seems to be very reliable), surly had put some more pressure on the Boeing and the Obama administration.
..please read the highlighted text, I have repeatedly said that the Rafale is not free of US Export controls.
Please, not that again! Even they are talking only about "components", while still all major parts of it, be it radar, engine, EWS, or weapons are developed in France/Europe!
Btw, the wikileakes pointed out some other things too:
FAB presses for purchase of U.S. aircraft, documents say
The dispute over the sale of 36 fighter jets to the Brazilian Air Force mobilized to pressure U.S. authorities to the commander of the Air Force, Juniti Saito and Defense Minister Nelson Jobim, to intervene in the choice of an American model, reveal documents released by WikiLeaks site on Sunday (5)...
...Preference
In another letter, it reported a conversation the commander of the Air Force, Juniti Saito, with former U.S. Ambassador Clifford Sobel, indicating that the Brazilian would prefer the U.S. model to the French. "We flew on American equipment for decades and we know who is trustworthy and that their maintenance is simple and offers good money through foreign military sales system," said the statement attributed to Saito.
Saito also would request a letter committing the U.S. to transfer technology to Brazil. In a telegram signed by former ambassador, he reports he told the commander that the letter was in the final stages of approval. Relieved, Saito said he needed to hand the letter on August 6. [...] That was the clearest expression of that Saito is to recommend that the F-18," he said.
G1 - EUA pressionam FAB por compra de avião americano, dizem documentos - notícias em Mundo
So much for FAB prefers Gripen NG like you claimed, based on the fake media report!
Don't you find it interesting too, that the whole leak of the US embassy talks only about Rafale as a competitior, while not a single word is said about Saab, or Gripen NG? All they say, or recommend are tactics to counter French political advantages (btw I find it funny that you now have to find counter tactics against political advantages
), as well Dassaults ToT offer, but nothing about Saab! They must be pretty sure about that Brazil won't choose the Gripen don't you think? And now take a guess why?
It's getting pretty obvious these days how dependent Saab, or better the Gripen is on the US and that they really can't do anything against it (Norway, deal Israeli radar).