Slim chances seen for EADS CASA-Chavez deal

A Spanish report says that Madrid's plan to sell EADS CASA military aircraft to Venezuela has a slim chance of materializing, thanks to the US embargo of American-made parts in the CN-235 and C-295 aircraft.

Citing Spanish sources familiar with the deal, Europa Press reports in Spanish that the contract's process is proceeding "very badly" and has "few possibilities of coming to fruition."

Meanwhile in Washington, momentum continues to punish EADS CASA for trying to arm Chavez over US objections. EADS CASA lobbyists are pushing for the the Pentagon and Congress to buy the C-295 as the new Army-Air Force Joint Cargo Aircraft (JCA).

National security hawks in the nation's capital are moving ahead to make an example of EADS CASA by banning it from consideration for the multibillion-dollar JCA deal.