Can you imagine if France lost another Rafale sale this time the E/F Hornet? The SuperHornets aren't cheap either in the same ballpark as a Rafale with goodies included. Out of the teen series built by the US the Hornet may have a slightly longer future then either the F-16 or F-15. The ASEA radar in the Block-II Hornets are two generations ahead of the Europeans or Russia so that alone is a good selling point. Teamed with a little AWACS which Brazil has and the AIM-120/9X combo not a bad weapons platform. My two cents I think Brazil's a French shop and there just holding out for a better deal.

Boeing Studies Bid For Brazil Fighter Contract

March 13, 2008: 10:15 AM EST
SAO PAULO -(Dow Jones)- Boeing Co. (BA) is studying a possible bid for the contract to provide new fighter planes to the Brazilian Air Force, the local O Estado de S. Paulo newspaper reported Thursday.
Boeing Integrated Defense Systems executive Joseph T. McAndrew is in Brazil to discuss the local air forces needs.
"My intention is to build relationships. Boeing has been absent from Brazil. We want to be a provider of complete solutions," McAndrew told the local newspaper.
Brazil's government is looking to by 24 to 36 jets as parts of its FX-2 program.
Boeing intends to present a new configuration of the F-18 Super Hornet.
Other firms that have expressed an interest in the contract including Russia's Sukhoi, Saab AB's (SAAB-B.SK) Gripen and France's Dassault Aviation (12172.FR).
The Brazilian Defense Ministry is demanding technology transfer as a condition of conceding the contract. However, the only company to show willingness to share its technology so far has been Dassault, said the report.
The FX project was originally announced in August 2001, postponed in 2003, canceled in 2005 and then reinstated in 2007.




Link
http://money.cnn.com/news/newsfeeds/...5_FORTUNE5.htm

hope they get it