Angola wants Brazilian fighter planes

[AeroEntusiasta]

(Fonte: LUSA)

06-05-2005 23:23:00. Fonte LUSA. Notícia SIR-6979546

Angola: Luanda wants Brazilian fighter planes - report


Sao Paulo, Brazil, May 6 (Lusa) - The Angolan government is interested in acquiring up to 12 fighter aircraft and other military equipment worth euros 71 million from Brazil, according to a newspaper report.

The "Estado de Sao Paulo" daily reported Friday that the supply of military equipment by Brazil was discussed by visiting Angolan President José Eduardo Santos and his counterpart, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, this week.

Angola wants between 8 and 12 Super Tucano turboprop fighters from Brazil's Embraer, the world's fourth-largest plane maker, according to the article.

The African nation's Air Force already flies Embraer's Tucano trainer and Luanda wants these aircraft to be modernized by the Brazilian firm so that they can be used to train pilots to fly Russian-built MIG fighters that are currently being refitted in the Ukraine.

President dos Santos also told his Brazilian counterpart that the Angolan military was interested in modernizing army trucks and armored vehicles and also in acquiring rifles, uniforms and communications equipment.

Estado also reported that military and police equipment would be supplied to Angola in return for annual oil shipments worth euros 7.8 million.

MAN/CJB.