Bengaluru: The countdown has begun for the 12th Edition of the Aero India at Airforce Station, Yelahanka. As the skies fill with the metal birds which started their practice from Thursday. The excitement in the air this time is to see the flying Rafales, which landed here ahead of the aero India 2019.
While it will not be the first time that the Rafale will be flying at the Aero India but the excitement surrounding it makes it one of the most awaited event. It will also be the first time that the Rafale Multi role Combat aircrafts will be flying wiith Indian colours . The show also has brought to fore the enhancement in the capabilities of the Aviation sector in the last 4 years.
Apart from the impressive flypasts at the inaugural , the most awaited is the exhibitions and the eminars which go along with th air display. Like last time the theme this time will be showcasing Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s flagship initiative, Make in India. Several PSU’s are lining up the indigenous taken up by the Ministry Of Defence in recent years. Public sector BEML is bringing the Akash missiles and Quick Response Surface-to-Air-Missiles (QRSAMs) along with bomb pallets and a lot more. The Missile systems , essential for the future wars are one of the key achievements of India which give India a supremacy in the region with the vast range that is available.
The PSUs have also been consciously working towards increasing their export share. Neelakantan Iyer, an independent director on HAL’s board said the PSU has, in the past year or so,been working on increasing the range of aircrafts it can Make In India.
HAL is keen to launch the indigenous development of SPORT (Aircraft) with 4++ generation or equivalent capabilities to bridge the gap in pilot training to command front line fighters, HAL CMD R Madhavan told media.
The SPORT aircraft would be an essential element of the training of the pilots in future and utilized for fighter training after Advanced Jet Training stage and before induction of pilots into a frontline fighter squadron, he noted.
Another star attraction at the pavilion would be the aerospace corner, virtual and holographic room and Jaguar aircraft simulator.
Besides providing huge logistic support, the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited would showcase its prowess in defence and aerospace centered on the theme ‘’Innovate, Integrate and Lead.’’ Leaving the controversy over the Rafale behind the company is looking at speeding up the manufacture of the Light Combat Aircraft Tejas in coming years.
With a rapid growth in the aviation sector that India has seen in the last two decades , India continues to be a centre of attraction for aircraft manufacturers , especially in Civil aviation segment. Aircraft manufacturer Boeing is looking forward to showcase its range of platforms with “advanced capabilities” at Aero India 2019 in Bengaluru, with a “focus on partnerships” with its defence and commercial customers.
In a press statement, the world’s largest aerospace company stated that it would showcase a “range of platforms, support and training capabilities” including the F/A-18 Super Hornet aircraft, KC-46A Pegasus tanker, AH-64E Apache helicopter, CH-47F Chinook helicopter, and the P-8 aircraft.
“During the show, Boeing will focus on the partnerships with its defence and commercial customers, and highlight strategic investments in developing India’s aerospace ecosystem, with the theme ‘’The Future is Built Here’’, Boeing’s statement said.
The company would also be displaying models of the latest Boeing commercial airplanes, including 737 MAX, 777X and the 787 Dreamliner.
On the other hand Lockheed Martin which will participate at the 12th Aero India Exhibition, is still hopeful that it can score a chance with further requiremnents of the IAF in the coming years.
The company whose participation in the premier biennial aerospace event in the country goes back to its inception in 1996 is optimistic that it will enhance its role in the coming years.
This year, Lockheed Martin will present a selection of fixed-wing and rotary aircraft, precision weapon systems, as well as the unmanned aerial system which offers payload options and advanced ground control software, among others.
The shadow of Pulwama behind, Prime Minister who will inaugurate it is expected to send a strong signal from the inaugural ceremony on 20th February.