IAI to supply UAVs to Brazil in $350m deal

Conclusion of the deal coincides with President Shimon Peres's visit to Brazil.

Defense cooperation between Israel and Brazil is expanding. Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) has signed a $350 million agreement to supply unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to Brazil. IAI will supply three aircraft by next April, and fourteen in all over the next few years. 15 agents of the Brazilian Federal Police are already training in Israel to use the UAVs.

ISDS advised the Federal Police and IAI in the deal. The UAVs will be used, among other things, for patrolling Brazil's borders, to prevent crime and arms smuggling. They will also be used for security for the 2014 World Cup and the 2016 Olympic Games, which will be staged in Brazil. The security budget for these events will be some $5 billion.

The deal is expected to be announced at a press conference to be held shortly by Brazilian president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and Israeli president Shimon Peres, who is visiting Brazil.

Yesterday, Peres met Brazilian defense minister Nelson Jobim, and discussed widening cooperation between Brazil and Israel. Several senior executives form Israeli defense firms attended the meeting.

Negotiations on the UAV contract were prolonged, and Peres's visit gave the final push to concluding a deal, which still requires approval from the Brazilian government.

Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on November 11, 2009

© Copyright of Globes Publisher Itonut (1983) Ltd. 2009

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