RF takes part in tender for delivering fighters to Brazil

For the first time Russia will take part in the tender, announced by Brazil, for the delivery of fighters to the country.

"Brazil supposes to purchase twenty planes with all the necessary spare parts to them" - Mikhail Dmitriyev, Russian Deputy Defense Minister and chairman of the committee for military and technological cooperation of Russia with foreign countries, told Russian reporters on the eve of the official visit to Brazil by Russian Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov, which starts on Friday.

"Taking part in the tender are two our aircraft-building companies - "Sukhoi" and "MiG." Both have quite serious chances," said Mikhail Dmitriyev.

According to his estimates, depending on the concrete choice of a model, "the deal may amount to one billion dollars." Mikhail Dmitriyev believes that Brazilian Defense Minister Jose Viegas, former ambassador of Brazil in Moscow, will see to it that the competition be fair.

On agreement with other Russian ministries and government departments, Brazil will pay not in cash but in goods necessary for Russia. "For Brazil, the Ministry of Agriculture will play, perhaps, the dominating role in this matter," said Mikhail Dmitriyev.

"Earlier, the efforts of Russia in military and technical cooperation were concentrated on South East Asia and the Asia-Pacific region; now, however, activities have intensified in Latin America as a whole," said Dmitriyev.

"This year our delegations more than once visited the Latin American countries. We have been to Chile, Peru, Venezuela and Colombia," said the committee chairman.

"We discussed quite concrete things. There was nothing of the kind earlier, and we intend to maintain constant contacts now," concluded Mikhail Dmitriyev.