Embraer in talks with India for plane co-development

Wednesday, 05 February 2003, 20:30 IST
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BANGALORE: Brazil's Embraer has begun talks with India for integration and co-development of aerospace technologies, including electronic warfare systems, to produce aircraft for the global market. The company is seeking "cooperation and collaboration" with India to enhance its surveillance and reconnaissance aircraft, a sector in which it is a global leader, as well as increase its revenues from the military sector to 20 percent by 2006 from the current six percent. "We have started a dialogue with India. We have good experience in integrating sensors in our surveillance systems. India has several programmes for electronic warfare systems. We could integrate the systems and reduce time to market," says Eduardo Munhile de Campos, Embraer's director of international business. "And we are open to co-development of a plane in the long term," de Campos told reporters on the sidelines of the Aero India 2003, one of Asia's biggest air shows that opened in this city Wednesday. Embraer's thinking is very much in tune with what V.K. Atre, scientific advisor to the Indian defence minister, said last week while announcing details of the international seminar on aerospace technologies and strategies as part of the air show. "We will look at co-development projects as equal partners. We have reached a maturity level in several aerospace technologies and we would like to engage in co-development. We are talking to some countries, but one cannot disclose names," he said. Atre had also said that India was "very strong" in electronic warfare systems, armour, armaments and aerospace technologies with high design capabilities. "These days the cost of development of weapon systems is quite high," he added. "We offered our experience to the Indian government to gain time, reduce risk and market globally, together. We want a real and good partnership with India," said Renualdo Monteiro de Barros, executive vice president, defence markets, Embraer. "We are developing from the platform of regional jet aircraft (AmX-145), a 50 seater twin jet, and we have air-to-air, air-to-ground as well as maritime surveillance planes," added de Campos. Embraer has already sold 600 of its EMB 145 surveillance aircraft integrating intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) systems. These systems encompass four different aircraft versions. The EMB 145 AEW&C, an airborne early warning and control aircraft, integrates the Swedish ERIEYE radar. This has already been sold to the Mexican and Greek governments. The Brazilian Air Force currently operates Embraer's EMB 145 remote sensing air-to-ground surveillance aircraft. And P-99 is the maritime patrol and anti-submarine warfare aircraft fitted with anti-surface vessel and anti-submarine warfare capabilities. "We are here to offer low cost hi-tech and establish a long term cooperation with India. We have not come here only to sell. We have not come for just one air show," added de Barros. Embraer has reportedly quoted the lowest price for its advanced jet trainer (AJT), the AMX-T. The Hawk from Britain, the Alfa from France, the MiG-AT from Russia and a Czech trainer have been lobbying hard with India for a multibillion-dollar contract. India is yet to make a final choice. "We quoted the lowest price. But if the Indian Air Force has decided on the Hawk, we would not like to disturb the process now. If the government is reopening the deal, we would like to cooperate," said de Barros. Embraer was Brazil's second largest exporter in 2002 with a firm order backlog totalling $9 billion and total backlog, including options, of $22.2 billion. It is also selling its Legacy business jet, a super midsize twin engine for regional service. Indo-Brazilian trade is around $1.2 billion, with Indian exports to Brazil going up 135 percent and Brazil's exports going up 119 percent last year, the South American country's Ambassador to India Vera Barrouin Machado told reporters. "We are cooperating in areas like information technology, biotechnology and pharmaceuticals. Defence cooperation is just starting and we would like to develop this area this year," she added.
Source: IANS
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