The Brazilian Defense Sector

03/11/2012
The Super Tucano “decision” by the USAF has highlighted yet another attempt by Embraer to enter the US defense market.  But not as evident to inside the beltway commenters is the evolution of the combat fighter market.  India has downselected a French aircraft, and the Brazilians will soon choose their…

An Open Letter to General Schwartz on the Light Air Support Aircraft

03/08/2012
by Ed Timperlake Please do not validate that the AT-6 was compliant when submitted for LAS Solicitation FA8615-10-R-6088” by allowing your investigators to focus exclusively on the end-game selection paperwork. “There will be hell to pay” USAF Chief of Staff General Norton Schwartz was recently quoted about possible results depending…

Brazil’s Reaction to the USAF “Decision” on the Super Tucano

03/07/2012
by Kenneth Maxwell The decision of the US Air Force to cancel the $355 million contract, to buy 20 Super Tucano Single engine turboprop planes from the Brazilian company Embraer, has been meet with dismay in Brazil. The story has been headlined in the Brazilian press. The Brazilians have attributed…

An Update from Brazil on the Super Tucano “Decision”

03/07/2012
There has been continuing overage in Brazil of the Super Tucano disaster. Recently, William Burns was in Rio to prepare for visit of Dilma Rousseff in April. He was quoted as saying by the "Folha de Sao Paulo" that the US was "still interested" in Super Tucano and also said…

The Next AT-6 “Hail Mary”: The Saga Continues

02/09/2012
02/09/2012 by Ed Timperlake In an excellent piece of reporting Joseph C. Anselmo in Aviation Daily, on Wednesday February 8th 2012 reported an important breaking news story about another huge management shake-up at Hawker Beechcraft. “Robert S. “Steve” Miller was appointed CEO on Feb. 7, replacing longtime chief executive Bill Boisture,…