MILAN (Thomson Financial) - Finmeccanica SpA sees scope to supply the
Japanese authorities with Eurofighter military planes, for which the company is
a major supplier, according to managing director Giorgio Zappa.
Japan would like to buy the F-22 plane produced by Lockheed Martin and
Boeing Co, but the United States does not want to sell Japan this plane, he said
at a Italy/Japan business forum.
"If the F-22 continues to not be available, there is surely the possibility
of proposing the Eurofighter," he said.
Japan had planned to issue a tender in the summer, but this has been put
back, he said.
Eurofighter is produced by EADS, Finmeccanica unit Alenia Aeronautica and
BAE Systems PLC, with the latter company responsible for Japan sales.
Zappa said that Finmeccanica regards the Japan as not simple to penetrate,
but all the same rather promising, in particular in helicopter, defence,
homeland security and disaster recovery sectors.
Energy, including nuclear, could see cooperation, he said.
nigel.tutt@thomsonreuters.com
nt/hjp
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