Lula Seeks to Sell Embraer Combat Planes to Venezuela (Update1)

[bemildred]

Feb. 11 (Bloomberg) -- Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva will try to persuade Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez to buy Brazilian-made combat planes and participate in joint military maneuvers in the Amazon rain forest.

Lula, 59, in meetings with Chavez in Caracas on Feb. 14, will propose the Venezuelan air force buy Super Tucano turboprop planes made by Empresa Brasileira de Aeronautica SA, the world's fourth-largest aircraft maker, Brazil's Foreign Ministry said. Lula and Chavez, 50, also will discuss a surveillance system for the Venezuelan Amazon region built by Brazilian companies.

``There are promising possibilities for cooperation in the defense area in terms of surveillance of the Amazon,'' the ministry said in a statement on its Web site.

The military pact is part of a ``strategic alliance'' the two leaders plan to sign that includes joint oil, infrastructure and coal-mining ventures. Lula is stepping in to pitch military planes to Chavez as the U.S. criticizes Venezuelan government plans to buy Russian helicopters and assault rifles.

Bloomberg

[David__77]

1. Venezuela is the "rock" of continental struggle.

It is leading the way. I am glad that Brazil and others and forging a strong partnership, to displace the old domination from the north.

[bemildred]

2. The converse of "divide and rule" is

Cooperate and be autonomous.

[mutus_frutex]

3. How good are turboprops???

I can imagine them being easier to maintain and cheaper to fuel, but they are technology that is 50 years old. Do they want them for anti-guerrilla type of stuff??

I have seen Pucara's. They are neat and did reasonably well in the Malvinas war, but they still look like toys...

[achtung_circus]

4. Good training/low intensity warfare/ counter-insurgency aircraft.

The Super Tucano is the perfect combination of a turboprop with fourth-generation avionics and armament systems. In fact, this aircraft is the only truly multi-purpose solution available on the market.
The Super Tucano does what no other turboprop trainer can do. In addition to its jet performance, the Super Tucano has outstanding human-machine interface fully compatible NVG Gen III cockpit lighting innovations through in-flight virtual training for armaments and sensors five underwing and fuselage stations carrying a wide array of ordnance (conventional and smart).
It can operate in the most hostile environments and from unprepared runways, during day or night.

[mutus_frutex]

5. I checked for pictures when I saw the message

And I have to confess that they are pretty.. :-) In a P51'nish sort of way.. :-)

[achtung_circus]

6. They also resemble the Swiss PC-7

The Pilatus PC-7 Turbo Trainer is a low-wing monoplane with a tandem seating cockpit, powered by a Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-25A turboprop engine.

The aircraft’s capability to cover all aspects of basic training including aerobatics, instrument, tactical and night flying, has convinced 20 air forces to select the PC-7 to train professional military pilots.

Since its introduction in 1978, close to 500 aircraft have been sold, with the majority still being in service today. It is due to the high quality of Swiss workmanship, the reliability of the components and dedicated customer support, that these PC-7s are still flying their training sorties today.

Private customers have discovered the capabilities and high performance of the PC-7. The aircraft’s civil certification (FAA & FOCA) makes operation under general aviation regulations in Europe and America both attractive and easy.