Dubai Air Show 2009

[ejaz007]

Arms race dominates Dubai air show

* Gulf region leads global race for new fighter jets
* US to showcase F-22 fighter plane
* Ethiopian Airlines confirms $2.9bn Airbus order

DUBAI: Rising tensions in the Middle East have increased demand for military hardware as demonstrated at the Dubai Air Show, which opened on Sunday.

The Dubai Air Show witnessed an increase in the demand for fighter planes, but recession means fewer orders for civilian jets.

Ethiopian Airlines offered a glimmer of hope on the civil side, with a $2.9 billion order for 12 Airbus A350s. The European plane maker expects to earn up to $3.5 billion in airline orders early in the four-day show.

But it was the Gulf region’s role as the world’s busiest arms market that dominated day one of the largest Middle Eastern showcase for aviation.

Chief executive of the Institute for Near East and Gulf Military Analysis Riad Kahawaji said, “With more threats and continued tensions, you will have continued demand for new systems and new capabilities, and that is why we have seen ongoing interest in upgrading and renewing fighter fleets.”

The UAE is in talks with France’s Dassault Aviation to buy Rafale combat jets which will be on display from November 15-18 at the air show. But analysts say the United States has not given up on grabbing a deal.

Kuwait and Oman are also looking forward to renewing their fighter fleets. It has been reported that Saudi Arabia is also looking forward to expand a recent purchase of Euro fighter Typhoons and was talking to Boeing about F-15s.

US showcased the world’s most advanced fighter jet, the Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor. The 14-minute display by the Raptor was aimed at displaying America’s military prowess and at promoting US interests in the Gulf Arab region.

Airbus rival Boeing sees signs of recovery in the freighter market but plane makers face two more lean years before passenger jet demand picks up in 2012, an executive estimates.

Sources said Air Austral, based in France’s overseas territory of La Reunion in the Indian Ocean, confirmed an order for two Airbus A380 super jumbos on Sunday. reuters

Daily Times - Leading News Resource of Pakistan

 

[ejaz007]

L15 Makes Middle East Debut; K-8 Karakuram Also on Display
November 15th, 2009
By ANDREW CHUTER

DUBAI — The Hongdu Aviation Industry Group is using the Dubai Airshow to debut its L15 twin-jet trainer in the Middle East.

The jet, which first flew in 2006, is aimed at taking on Western rivals like the Alenia Aermacchia M-346 and Korean Aerospace T-50 in the growing international market for advanced trainer and light attack machines. It’s only other international appearance was in Russia this summer.

The aircraft is vying for a People’s Liberation Army Air Force order and also seeking export orders in regions like the Middle East.

The aircraft is sub-sonic, but the AVIC-owned company is planning to fit more powerful AL-222K-25 engines from Ukrainian company Ivchenko-Progress to give it supersonic performance. The L15 is currently fitted with ZMKB-Progress DV-2 engines.

The aircraft is part of an impressive array of military machines taking part in the flying display here, including the F-22 Raptor and Eurofighter Typhoon. The appearance of the L15 is part of a growing presence of Chinese aircraft in the international marketplace.

Also on display is the K-8 Karakuram intermediate jet trainer. The aircraft is in the colors of Pakistan Aeronautical Complex, the company that has co-developed the aircraft with Chinese company Nanchang Aircraft.

Dubai Air Show 2009 L15 Makes Middle East Debut; K-8 Karakuram Also on Display

 

[marcos98]

Russia to make new arms offers to Arab states at Dubai Air Show
MOSCOW: Russia will offer a new package of proposals on military-technical cooperation to countries in the Middle East at a major air show in the region, Russia's state arms exporter Rosoboronexport said.

The Dubai Air Show is running on November 15-19 in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Over 900 companies from about 50 countries, including 24 Russian firms, take part in the event.

"During the Dubai Air Show 2009 Rosoboronexport will discuss with partners new Russian proposals aimed at strengthening defense capabilities of a number of countries in the Persian Gulf and the Arabian Peninsula," said Mikhail Zavaliy, the head of the Rosoboronexport delegation at the show.

Zavaliy said Russia would showcase a wide range of combat aircraft, air defense systems and other advanced weaponry at the exhibition.

"The Middle East countries are showing significant interest in the new Russian combat aircraft , including Su-35 Flanker-E, Su-30MK2 Flanker-C, MiG-35 Fulcrum-F multirole fighters, MiG-35, and MiG-29SMT Fulcrum multirole fighters, Yak-130 combat trainer, and various models of Mi and Ka helicopters," the official said.

He added that Russia would prioritize contracts with traditional Middle East partners such as the UAE, Jordan, Kuwait, Syria, Iran, Algeria, Libya and Egypt, but would also seek new customers in the region.

Rosoboronexport is planning to sell about $6.5 billion worth of military hardware in 2009, including $2.6 billion worth of combat aircraft.

The company's current defense order portfolio is estimated at $27 billion.

 

[amunhotep]

Eurocopter makes debut at dubai air-show

The Eurocopter Tiger is making its belated debut in the Gulf region with a series of flying displays at the show this week.Test pilot Fabrice Bonne will perform the Tiger's signature pitch-up and roll-of manoeuvres, which Eurocopter claims are unique to the Tiger design.





Eurocopter has amassed 206 combined orders for the Tiger from Australia, France, Germany and Spain, but has had a mixed record in the Middle East market. In 2006, Saudi Arabia cancelled an order for 12 Tigers.

here is the link


ASIAN DEFENCE: Eurocopter Tiger makes Dubai air show debut

 

[TOPGUN]

Was PAF at the show? iam guessing not.... other then displaying the k-8.

 

[niaz]

I saw Super Mashaaq as well

 

[Bhushan]

 

[Bhushan]

F22

 

[ejaz007]

Pakistan Shows Off K-8 Trainer for Export
November 17th, 2009

Dubai – Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC) showed off its K-8 Karakorum two-seat intermediate jet trainer and light attack aircraft at the Dubai Airshow along with models of its newest fighter, the JF-17 Thunder, currently under production.

PAC hopes to expand exports of the K-8 in the region, said Air Marshal Farhat Hussain Khan, PAC chairman. The aircraft are already serving in the Egyptian Air Force and Khan said the K-8 is a cost-effective trainer solution. “We do joint sales and marketing with our Chinese partners.”

The K-8 is a joint Chinese Aviation Industry Corporation (AVIC) and PAC program, as is the JF-17, he said. The Chinese variant of the trainer is the JL-8 and the fighter is the FC-1.

Khan confirmed reports Pakistan will procure the Chinese-built Chengdu FC-20 fighter, an export version of the J-10 fighter. However, PAC will not be participating in the co-production of the FC-20 program, he said.

PAC began series production of the JF-17 this year and expects to roll out its first aircraft by the end of this month.

“We have an initial order from the Pakistan Air Force for 150, but we expect it to go to upwards of 250 JF-17s,” he said. After that, PAC hopes to begin exporting the fighter.

The JF-17 is a multi-role combat supersonic fighter equipped with both a beyond-visual-range and within-visual-range dog fighting capability. Besides supersonic, it has sub-transonic maneuverability, he said.

It is equipped with a state-of-the-art digital glass cockpit with three large, full color Multi-Function Displays (MFD), digital moving map, Helmet Mounted Display (HUD), hands-on approach and a wide angle Smart Heads-Up Display (SHUD).

The primary sensor of the target acquisition and weapon aiming system is the multi-mode pulse Doppler radar. It also offers look-down performance and electronic counter-counter measures capability.

Despite media reports the JF-17 has suffered setbacks trying to resolve the acquisition of an engine for the aircraft the Russian-built RD-93 engines have been outfitted on the aircraft without problems, Khan said. “The media created the issue, it was not true.”

PAC has no plans to develop an indigenous engine or avionics system for the aircraft at this time, he said. “We have no desire of becoming engine producers,” he said.

The aircraft has a maximum speed of 1.6 mach with a service ceiling of 16,700 meters and a ferry range with drop tanks of 3,000 kilometers. The weapon systems are a mix of Chinese and Pakistan systems.

Dubai Air Show 2009 Pakistan Shows Off K-8 Trainer for Export

 

[Ghazy]

ATLC in the UAE: F-22 vs. Rafale vs Typhoon

A significant exercise will take place right after the conclusion of the Dubai Airshow in the United Arab Emirates. The Al Dhafra airbase will host teams of six AdA Rafales, six USAF F-22As and six RAF Typhoons as well as the local UAE & French squadrons. This is the first time that (officially that is) Rafales and F-22As will go head to head during the Advanced Tactical Leadership Course (ATLC). Al Dhafra is a joint UAE and USAF base and is the home of the majority of the Emirates F-16s and Mirage 2000-9s.

The UAE Air Warfare Center was the very first tactical center to be set up in the Middle East. It has been developed by the UAEAF to conceive and evaluate combat tactics, an especially important effort since the entry in service of large numbers of F-16s and 2000-9s.

Al Dhafra AWC is very similar in goal to two other major tactical centers, Nellis AFB for Red Flag and Florennes AB for TLP. The goal of ATLC is to train forces in a multinational & large scale exercise environment and raise the interoperability and the combat effectiveness of the participating air forces by developing pilot leadership skills while improving improving tactics, techniques and procedures. ATLC typically lasts about four weeks and consist of large scale exercises and training sorties designed to specifically improve aircrew mission skills. Week three of the four week exercise is typically dedicated to large scale night exercises. So, this is a “routine” event, not the sensational duel reported by Le Point magazine in France, and a good opportunity for participating nations to improve joint operations.



UAE Air Force Photo

G2 Solutions @ November 1

ATLC in the UAE: F-22 vs. Rafale vs Typhoon | G2 Solutions News Review

 

[Ghazy]

Airbus beats Boeing at air show


Airbus sales were still down sharply from the 2007 show
Plane maker Airbus has received more than five times the orders by value of US rival Boeing at the Dubai air show.
Airbus received $5.3bn (£3.2bn) in orders and letters of intent, against two orders worth $800m from Boeing.
"We had a good air show, better than many expected," said Airbus chief operating officer John Leahy.
But sales are down sharply from the last time the biennial show was held in 2007, when they received a combined $75bn in orders and letters of intent.
Mr Leahy said this was a reflection of the sluggish global economy.
"Our industry is not out of the woods yet. There will be a difficult winter ahead of us," he said.
"But with the deals we made in Dubai and the interest in our products that we saw here, spring may not be that far away."
Ethiopian Airlines placed an order for 12 Airbus A350-900s worth $2.9bn, and the plane maker also sold two A380 super-jumbos.
Boeing announced deals for 11 737-800 jetliners to Algeria's government-run Air Algerie and Tassili Airlines.
Organisers said this year's show had a total of $13bn in orders so far, less than a 10th of the $155bn of deals inked with all manufacturers at the 2007 show.

BBC News - Airbus beats Boeing at air show

 

[Ghazy]

Airshow Ends with $14 Billion in Deals Bruce Stanley

20 November 2009 DUBAI — The Dubai Airshow ended on a subdued but hopeful note, with a few last orders pushing the show’s final tally of contracts and purchase commitments incrementally higher to more than $14 billion.
Among these contracts announced on Friday were the sale of three helicopters worth $600,000 by the UAE’s Perla Aviation and a $40 million order from a unit of Dubai Aerospace Enterprise for aircraft wheels and brakes.

The show hatched no blockbuster deals, in contrast to its predecessor two years ago. Yet, the outcome of $14 billion in new business was a notable achievement, given the harsh economic conditions that have damped demand in most corners of the aviation industry.

As the event’s organisers and participants began closing down their booths and display stands, they were looking forward to bigger sales at the next show in 2011 – by which time many anticipate that the economy will be in full swing again.

“We anticipate sales pushing ahead more quickly for 2011, with industry sentiment genuinely predicting an upturn for international aviation…,” said Alison Weller, director for aerospace at F&E Aerospace, the show’s organiser.

“This was undoubtedly a busy show, and we anticipate validated registration reaching close to the 50,000 mark – which is excellent for a trade-only visitor event,” Weller said in a statement.

F&E Aerospace was still tabulating visitor numbers and data at the end of the day. The last show in 2007 attracted 850 exhibitors and about 45,000 visitors. Companies clinched $155 billion in orders that year.

The five-day show at Dubai Airport Expo reinforced the emirate’s role as an essential stop on the global exhibition circuit for aviation companies.

More importantly, it propelled the UAE further along the path to nurturing its own aerospace industry. The Mubadala Development Company signed a pact this week with US plane-maker Boeing Company to develop national facilities for indigenous research, training, repair and manufacturing of aviation components.

Boeing and its European rival Airbus SAS outsource a significant amount of parts production for their jetliners. China, for example, doesn’t just assemble Airbus A320 jetliners at a plant in the city of Tianjin but also produces key parts and sections for several models of aircraft for both Airbus and Boeing. The Mubadala deal with Boeing could be a step in a similar direction for the UAE, officials have suggested.

Perla Aviation, which owns the DBAerocopter company of Ukraine, announced three separate sales of its AK1-3 two-seater helicopter. Perla executive Tanya Rashenko confirmed the sales to customers in Pakistan, India and the UK.

“It has been an excellent show for us, with strong interest from throughout the Middle East, Africa, Europe and the USA,” Rashenko said in the end-of-show statement. “We are also negotiating on an additional three sales leads gained at the show which hopefully we can conclude in the coming weeks.”

DAE Capital, a unit of Dubai Aerospace Enterprise, ordered $40 million in wheels and carbon brakes for its planned fleet of 70 Boeing 737 jetliners. Boeing is to begin delivering single-aisle planes next year.

The final order tally grew by $1 billion from Wednesday’s total of $13 billion.

Abu Dhabi’s Mubadala Aerospace is the first company to have signed up for the 2011 Dubai Airshow, F&E Aerospace said.

Said Weller: “We have also been approached by a number of visitors who came to assess the show, have understood its potential and now want to return as exhibitors.”

bruce@khaleejtimes.com

Khaleej Times Online - Airshow Ends with $14 Billion in Deals