- Title: RUSSIA: SIXTH INTERNATIONAL AIR SHOW TAKES PLACE NEAR MOSCOW
- Date: 19th August 2003
- Summary: (EU) ZHUKOVSKY AIRFIELD, NEAR MOSCOW, RUSSIA (AUGUST 19, 2003) (REUTERS) 1. VARIOUS, SU-27 FIGHTER JET PERFORMING "COBRA" AEROBATIC MANOEUVRE (2 SHOTS) 0.29 2. SMV RUSSIAN PRESIDENT VLADIMIR PUTIN WATCHING PERFORMANCE OF SU-27 0.35 3. VARIOUS OTHER PLANES DURING AERIAL PERFORMANCE (3 SHOTS) 1.19 4. WIDE OF U.S. AIR FORCE PILOTS WATCHING 1,25 5. WIDE OF F-15 FIGHTER JET TOWED ON TARMAC 1.38 6. SCU (SOUNDBITE) (English) CAPTAIN ANDY WESTERSELL, U.S. AIRFORCE F-15 PILOT, SAYING: "We are going to show, we have an F-16 here, we have an F-15 here, we have an F- 15E here. There will be a B-52 here on the 20th of August. The F-15 is going to fly will fly every day for the demonstration." 1.55 7. VARIOUS, F-15 FIGHTER JET IN THE SKY 2.08 8. WIDE OF RUSSIAN AND FOREIGN OFFICIALS WATCHING SHOW 2.12 9. SLV F-15 FIGHTER JET 2.14 10. VARIOUS OF PRESIDENT PUTIN AND OTHERS WATCHING AIR SHOW (2 SHOTS) 2.24 11. VARIOUS, U.S. AIR FORCE TRANSPORT PLANES ON TARMAC (2 SHOTS) 2.40 12. WIDE OF RUSSIAN CIVILIAN AIRLINER, THE NEW TUPOLEV 204-300 JET 2.48 13. VARIOUS, RUSSIAN "BLACK SHARK" HELICOPTER GUNSHIP, K-52, BEING TOWED ON TARMAC (2 SHOTS) 3.08 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 3rd September 2003 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: ZHUKOVSKY AIRFIELD, NEAR MOSCOW, RUSSIA
- Country: Russia
- Reuters ID: LVA4NQKET6PNTCLZ8BMLP4IYZK2K
- Story Text: Russia's sixth International air show has opened
near Moscow, with a large showing by U.S. civilian and
military aircraft and U.S. plane makers.
The United States sent its top fighter planes to
Russia on Tuesday (August 19) for the first time, handing a
huge boost to Moscow's annual air show at the expense of
the Paris Air show that Washington largely boycotted.
Jubilant Russian officials said the presence of F-15s
F-16s and the B-52 bomber, due at the air show on Wednesday
(August 20), had turned the Moscow air show -- normally a
modest affair compared with similar West European displays
-- into the most prestigious air event this year.
President Vladimir Putin watched from a stand as
Russian Sukhoi fighters and U.S. fighters performed
intricate aerobatic stunts at the Zhukovsky display outside
Moscow.
U.S. officials and firms such as Boeing would not be
drawn into comparisons with the conspicuous U.S. "no-show"
at Le Bourget in June.
One Western military official would say only that the
U.S. military contribution, given its logistical scale, had
been more than a year in the planning.
The Pentagon banned the traditional aerial displays by
its military pilots and scaled down its presence at Le
Bourget in what was widely seen as a deliberate snub
because of France's opposition to the U.S.-led war in Iraq.
Russia also opposed the U.S.-led military operation in
Iraq, but has managed adroitly to stay "onside" with
Washington.
Russian officials showed little awareness of the irony
as they praised the U.S. air striking power on show at
Zhukovsky -- much of it used against Iraq in the opening
phase of the war.
The show gave Russian aviation officials a rare chance
of seeing the F-15 fighter -- a big rival to Russia's Su-30
on the world arms market -- up close.
About 57 percent of Russia's arms sales on world
markets come from fighter jets including the Su-30, with
China and India the main clients.
If arms exports continue at their present pace, Russia
could match or even beat its 2002 record of $4.8 billion
worth of arms sold through Rosoboronexport, the state-owned
company that is the principal outlet for Russian arms onto
world markets.
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