Blog: Football and fighters

In the race to pitch fighter aircraft, every shot counts and every maneuver could make a mark. Especially if it’s a chance to show off in front of the largest television audience in the world.

In a couple of hours, the Football World Cup is going to see one of the top teams, Brazil, play against the Korean Democratic People’s Republic, better known as North Korea, and the lowest ranked team in this tournament.

StratPost got a heads-up a few hours back that the pre-game rituals will include two South African Air Force Gripen fighters buzzing the stadium. One gathers this is not an attempt to impress the North Koreans, as difficult as that is, typically.

More possibly perhaps, this is a never-before opportunity to thrill the Brazilian television viewership watching back home, even before Kaka and Robinho do their thing against the Dear Leader’s squad. That could mean an unparalleled window to blow away everyone watching the game in Brazil (Considering this is football, that could mean every Brazilian alive), unprecedentedly raising the profile of Gripen in Brazil.

The aircraft is already rumored to be favored by the Brazilian National Air Force in the face of Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva’s noted fancy for the French Rafale in the contest for the sale of 36 fighters.

The Brazilians are also to elect a new president and legislature in elections to be held in October this year, when the incumbent will be completing his final term in office. Completely unrelated, of course.

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