Portugal seriously considers US F-35 jets along with other options
Portugal seriously considers US F-35 jets along with other options LISBON, Oct 8 (Reuters) - Portugal will decide on a replacement of its ageing fleet of F-16 jet fighters based on national interests and is seriously considering the US offer of F-35s along with other options, Foreign Minister Paulo Rangel said on Thursday after meeting US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Lisbon.
Portugal has yet to launch a formal tender to replace its 28 upgraded F-16M fighter jets, but competition is already tense for a deal that would deepen Lisbon's defence ties with either European or US partners.
"The Portuguese state will always decide in accordance with the national interest. There is one point that is also clear: we are seriously considering the F-35 proposal, just as we are considering others," Rangel told a news conference after the meeting.
Lockheed Martin's LMT.N F-35, widely seen by defence analysts as the leading contender, faces competition from the Eurofighter Typhoon, manufactured by Airbus, Britain's BAE Systems BAES.L and Italy's Leonardo LDOF.MI, as well as from Dassault Aviation's Rafale and Saab's Gripen E.
(Reporting by Sergio Goncalves, editing by Andrei Khalip)
(((andrei.khalip@thomsonreuters.com; (351) 213-509-209)))
Recent news on Lockheed Martin
See all newsLockheed lifts annual forecast as missile, jet production ramps up (updated)
Lockheed Martin's Q3 sales rise 11%, lifts FY outlook
Lockheed, Pentagon strike initial deal to produce 850 F-35 jets (updated)
Lockheed lifts annual forecast as missile, jet production ramps up
Brief: Lockheed Martin Q3 Sales USD 20,700 Million Vs. IBES Estimate USD 20,509 Million