BANGALORE, Feb 10:
A massive turnout of aviation enthusiasts flocked the IAF station at Yelahanka on the outskirts of the city for the grand finale of the 9th edition of Aero India exposition, considered to be the biggest in Asia today.
As curtains rung down on the show which was dominated by the fire power of the Indian Air Force besides the capability of indigenous production in both private and public sector.
Multinational giants too thronged the show to exhibit their wares and seek to promote joint ventures with Indian companies following massive import by the IAF to equip itself.
The Show bid adieu till February 18, 2015, when the next edition is slated for.
The five-day extravaganza was inaugurated on February 6 by Defence Minister A K Antony and was attended by IAF chief Air Chief Marshal N A K Browne and DRDO Chief V K Saraswat. The general mantra they uttered was the need for greater exposure to defence needs by the private sector, which had not invested intensely in acquiring technologies or attaining capabilities to meet the defence requirements of the country
After three days of hectic business parleys, the last two day saw the general making a beeline to the Yelahanka base to have a glimpse both on tarmac as well as on flight display the latest fighter aircraft.
People from all age groups, from toddlers to the aged, lined up to enter the sprawling IAF facility over the week-end to watch some memorable aerobatic displays that included the daring feats by ‘Russian Knights’ flying on the Su-27 war planes. The Russian team of five arrived in the city late overcoming snowstorms in Kyrgyzstan and some official delays in Delhi, but the wait was worth it as the large number of people was taken on a passage over the week-end, when the show was opened for public entry, that they will remember for long.
The blue and white hued metal birds with a pink lining on their wings were the most attractive among the lesser number of foreign aircraft seen in the ninth edition of the air show. The team, however, performed thrilling aerobatics for about 25 minutes instead of its standard breathtaking 40-minute show.
If the Russian aerobatics team, which performed in India for the first time, thundered in the sky, awe-inspiring Red Bulls or Flying Bulls aerobatics team from Czech Republic dazzled flying on their turboprops. The quartet of aircraft is flown by the team is led by Radka Achova and the youngest among the four pilots is 58
years old! Radhka and her skilled companions promise an air show packed with over 25 challenging maneuvers.
Besides, Knights and the Bulls the flying display and dazzling aerobatics India’s own ‘Sarang’ aerobatic team flying ALH ‘Dhruv’ helicopters also stole the show. They drew huge appreciation from the crowd and proved an able ally to the foreign teams.
Lockheed Martin’s F-16 fighter, indigenous Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) ‘Tajes’, IAF’s prized possession Sukhoi 30-MKI and the new acquisition Rafale medium multi-role combat aircraft from Dassault of France were the other aircraft in action.
The show also had the Russian Mi-8 helicopter and the Embraer EMB-145I on which the indigenously AEW&CS is being developed. The surveillance aircraft was flown for the first time in a public show by the IAF.
As many as 55 aircraft and choppers took part in the Aero India Show and Around 700 companies from over 27 countries are also part of the mega event.
However, most of the visitors were disappointed due to the absence of ‘Suryakiran’ aerobatic team from the IAF as the team was disbanded due to shortage of trainers in IAF and they had to be given to the IAF training academy. During the last few editions they had remained the main draw.
Earlier, on the first three days, top honchos of defence goods makers and contractors flocked to Bangalore, known as the prominent tech hub in the country, for the Aero India show. They were busy showcasing their wares and trying to clinch deals. However, an expected shrink in the Indian defence budget surely dampened their spirits.
The international participation reflected on the sheer numbers of top officials of companies and state-owned firms across the world that descended on the city. Out of 625 such officials, nearly 500 were from foreign countries.
The largest overseas participation was from the US followed by Israel and Russia. The other major participating countries are France, UK, Germany, Belgium, Bulgaria, Italy, Ukraine, Australia, Belarus, Czech Republic, Japan, Norway, South Africa, Spain, Switzerland, Austria, Brazil, Canada, the Netherlands, Romania, Sweden, the UAE and Singapore, organisers said.
The IAF also flew its vintage Tiger Moth trainer (a resurrected one,) for the first time in the air show though it was on a static display four years ago in the seventh edition of the event.
Other planes on display were the huge Boeing’s C-17 Globemaster-III the high lift transport aircraft, which would soon join the IAF’s fleet later this year and the weaponised version of ALH ‘Rudra’, the nulti-role variant Dhruv. Swiss-made turboprop Pilatus PC-7, which the IAF will induct this year to train its pilots was another attraction.
Aero India was organised by the Ministry of Defence Production in partnership with the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI).
Prior to the event the defence ministry organized Aero India International Seminar to enable the exhibitors and business visitors’ maximum networking and learning opportunity with a ‘Rising with Collaborative Opportunities’.
The show also provided an ideal platform for Indian vendors to showcase products and services being offered by the Indian defence industry in the international market.
Defence budget cuts, dissatisfaction over the DRDO and aircraft maker HAL were developing indigenous technologies and products were highlighted by Mr Antony and ACM Browne.
Mr Anthony confirmed that spending on defence would see a cut in the next fiscal year that starts in April, but it will in no way affect the ‘operational preparedness’ of the three armed forces.
The minister also expressed dissatisfaction over ‘inordinate’ delay in developing indigenous technology and asked the DRDO that the Intermediate Jet Trainer should be ready by 2015.
Air Chief Marshal Browne was more forthcoming and said HAL was not quite equipped to develop the trainers, which the IAF badly needs as quickly as possible, and it had no other go but to settle for Pilatus which was a better trainer.
He also advocated financial penalties on both indigenous defence product makers and foreign companies supplying aircraft and equipment to the defence forces to cut the delay and take the air force ahead. ‘IAF is well poised to take the path of transforming itself into a potent strategic force,’ he said.
As predicted, the show definitely lost some sheen, after India picked Dassault Aviation’s Rafale, as its MMRCA and the number of foreign participation in air display diminished. (UNI)
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