The budget for the current iteration is said to be $2.2 billion which changes things. What there looking for is to acquire 36 next generation fighters for the Brazilian Air Force. Will Russia get this deal as well or will the French hold on. I think Brazil is a French shop overall and older Boeing Vipers and Hornets aren't in the running from what I could see, a French person is smiling somewhere. What ever aircraft they pick to me must match up well to a modern Flanker, even no there's no arms race. Right-sure

The FX-2 begins in 2008
http://www.defenseindustrydaily.com/...program-04179/

Brazil has allot of choices on the table. Russia seems to be eager to sell their wonder machine, the SU 35 BM, and he U.S. may be out hungry for more F 35 contracts. France edging in with their Raffle, maybe to try and match the record setting export levels of the Mirage Series. But maybe the new FX 2 program is not doomed. It's seems to me a good upgrade of the F 5. Which is a good airframe.

Hi Sukio
I think the Rafale may win here but I don't think it's the better fit or even better aircraft. I think some type of Flanker with Israeli, France, or South African systems built into like the MKI India Flanker would serve Brazil better. Brazil always has ties with South Africa already the Su-30MKM for Malaysia has Russian, Swedish & South African avionics seems right for them. It would give Brazil the range they need and a platform that can perform a number of different missions. Plus Brazil's AWACS mixed with kick ass Flankers would be deadly something Chavez hasn't figured out yet. Brazil has a good air force and do very well with there F-5s. I think there one of five or six countries with datalinks and work well as a team. I was reading they downed a few French Mirage 2000-5 in mock training with lowly F-5s, if true not bad. Brazil also in time would be able to produce weapons for the Flankers if codes and a tech transfer were to happen. They have been a French shop for a long time so the odds of going Russian in slim maybe 70/30. India's Flankers grounded doesn't help they have news papers and internet in Brazil too.