KNDS France, third place in the tender procedure, complains of irregularities in the tender won by Elbit Systems; The military says the trial followed legal requirements
KNDS France, third place in the tender for the purchase of armored vehicles for the Army, has presented representation at the Federal Court of Auditors (TCU) alleged irregularities in the competition won in April by the Israeli Elbit Systems. The European company requested a precautionary measure to suspend the purchase process until the representation is analyzed.
According to the French company, there are irregularities and illegalities in the tender procedure conducted by the Army Logistics Command (Colog) for the purchase of howitzers. For KNDS, the products offered by the Israeli company are adapted for sale to the Brazilian Land Force and do not have mass production to demonstrate the quality of the equipment.
Members of the Army, second CNN Brazilthey say the process followed all legal requirements.
Before arriving at TCU, the French submitted a bidding application to Colog in June, which was rejected. Days later, in the same month, the Army Command rejected the Europeans’ appeal.
Faced with the new denial, the KNDS presented its appeal to the Ministry of Defense in August, which was also not accepted. Then, on the 18th, the same day that the TCU declared that the legislation does not prevent the Armed Forces from purchasing Israeli weapons, the request was filed with the Court of Auditors. Minister Aroldo Cedraz reported the case.
Before the agreement with the Israelis was concluded, it was necessary to resolve internal issues. One of these was the position against the takeover by Celso Amorim, chief advisor for international affairs of the Presidency of the Republic.
Critics of the purchase argue that it is inconsistent for the Brazilian government to purchase military equipment from Israel, whose actions in the Gaza Strip are criticized by President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT), and argue that the purchase of the howitzers, for almost R$1 billion could finance Israeli attacks on Palestinians.
The Land Force opened a tender for the purchase of weapons in 2017, citing the need to modernize equipment. The system acquired by the Brazilian army is already used in other military forces.
The armies of Denmark, which is part of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), and Colombia use the latest version. Many other countries, such as the Philippines and Thailand, use older versions of the device.
A howitzer is an artillery piece that launches projectiles with curved trajectories, allowing it to hit targets protected by obstacles or in areas inaccessible to direct fire. Unlike cannons, which fire in a straight line, the howitzer is ideal for long-range attacks and with a greater angle of elevation, making it more effective on rough terrain.
Follow ‘Estadão’ on social media
Source: Terra
Rose James is a Gossipify movie and series reviewer known for her in-depth analysis and unique perspective on the latest releases. With a background in film studies, she provides engaging and informative reviews, and keeps readers up to date with industry trends and emerging talents.
