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India accounts for half the participation
at Aero India
New
Delhi: Asia's largest air show Aero India 2009,
to be opened on 11th February at Indian Air Force
Station Yelahanka in Bangalore will see unprecedented
participation of international and domestic companies
in the aviation sector. With participation of 592
companies, 303 international and 289 Indian, the show
has become bigger and larger. Significantly, the participation
of domestic exhibitors has steadily grown from 66
in its inaugural show in 1998, to 289 this year, accounting
for nearly half the total exhibitor strength of about
600. The 7th edition of this prestigious show will
have about 44000 sqm of exhibition area as compared
to 30000 sqm in 2007. The Indian Air Force would be
one of the major participants at the show with majority
of its fire power on display. This would include the
Air Superiority Fighter Sukhoi-30 MKI, Mirage-2000,
Jaguar, the basic and intermediate jet trainer Kiran
and the advanced jet trainer Hawk; rotor power in
the form of MI-8s and ALH, and transport support by
IL-78 MKI tanker, the workhorses AN32 and the Dornier-228.
The Indian Army will showcase its prowess through
Army Aviation Corps that will display a mock special
heliborne operation.
Other
major Indian participating agencies in the show are
Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO),
Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA), Hindustan Aeronautics
Ltd (HAL), Centre for Airborne Systems and the National
Aerospace Laboratories (NAL). The ADA will be presenting
the Light Combat Aircraft - Tejas. The world's smallest
fighter aircraft weighing a little over 7 tones and
with a capacity to carry about 60 per cent of its
basic weight as ordnance, a feat unmatched by any
modern aircraft, Tejas will be a major attraction
of the show. HAL will showcase its Advanced Light
Helicopter (ALH) – Dhruv. This light-weight, multipurpose
flying machine has already been inducted into Indian
Armed Forces. Also on display from the HAL stables
are the Intermediate Jet Trainer HJT - 36 and Hawk
MK 123. The multi-role aircraft Saras from the NAL
will be another attraction of this year's show along
with Hansa, the super light-weight trainer.
-Feb
8, 2009
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