Eurofighter sees Portuguese supply chain role in jet bid
Eurofighter says Portuguese companies could make parts and provide maintenance if Portugal picks the fighter, linking the bid to local industry and long-term defence work.
Eurofighter sees “strong potential” for Portuguese companies to make parts and provide maintenance services for its fighter jets and engines if Portugal selects the aircraft to replace its F-16s, said campaign manager Iván González Expósito in an interview with ECO.
Expósito told ECO that the consortium has signed 13 non-disclosure agreements in Portugal and carried out 10 industrial assessments of companies including Aernnova, EEA, CEiiA, Mecachrome, Critical Software, Tekever, ETI, OGMA, Lauak and Orion Technik. He said Eurofighter sees opportunities in aerostructures, including metal and composite parts, as well as aircraft and engine maintenance, naming OGMA, Mesa and TAP as possible partners.
He said Airbus already has an established footprint in Portugal, with 1,700 employees in Lisbon and Coimbra, operations at Airbus Atlantic in Santo Tirso, and more than 35 Portuguese suppliers. Of the €87 million Airbus buys annually in Portugal, €20 million is linked to defence programmes, he said.
Expósito also said the consortium would offer Portugal transparent acquisition and support pricing, with “no hidden costs” and predictable operating costs over the aircraft’s life cycle. While he said deeper industrial cooperation depends on a Eurofighter purchase, he added that some indirect projects with Portuguese companies could move ahead on a “win-win” basis even without a fighter deal.
Originally published at Eco.pt
