Air Weapons: June 14, 2002

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The US has agreed to sell AIM-120C AMRAAM missiles to Brazil if that country picks the F-16 fighter as its new supersonic warplane. This would be the first sale of such advanced US missiles into Latin America. (Peru has bought the R-77, AA-12 Adder, from the Russians, and the US considers the two missiles equivalent.) To sweeten the deal, the US has offered Brazil two free KC-135A tankers. (Brazil would have to pay to upgrade, refurbish, and transport the tankers.)--Stephen V Cole