The Minister of Defense, Nelson Jobim, will be invited by the Commission of Foreign Relations and National Defense of the Chamber of Deputies to speak on the progress of the Brazilian Space Program and the programs of modernization of the Armed Forces.

There is special preoccupation with the current traineeship of the Launch Center of Alcântara (CLA), located in the state of Maranhão.

As for the programs of re-equipment of the Armed Forces, the parliamentarians want to know what the government will do with the already secured contracts and when there will be a decision on the purchase of fighters for the Brazilian Air Force (FAB).

The Ministry of Defense lost more than R$ 4 billions from the budget predicted for 2011 and all the projects will suffer cuts.

In the evaluation of the deputy Eduardo Azeredo (PSDB – state of Minas Gerais), Jobim created constraints to the FAB while manifesting his preference for the French fighter Rafale.

According to him, the soldiers consider the Gripen NG, of Swedish manufacture, a superior airplane.

Besides, they understand that the visit of the North American president Barack Obama to Brazil on the days 19 and 20 of March, also will serve so that the United States reinforce the lobby for the F-18 Super Hornet.