While our new military equipment is being tested in the Arctic, in the south, in Bangalore, India, the international aerospace exhibition Aero India 2017 came to its end. Samples of Russian weapons, especially those that are used in Syria, generated a lot of buzz among journalists and potential buyers. Artyom Potyomin watched the show.
It’s not allowed to come close to combat aircraft at the exhibition, however, an exception was made for the Russian TV. The star of all Indian air shows, fighter aircraft Sukhoi Su-30, was presented for the first time with a Brahmos missile mounted on it.
"Speed, accuracy, power". This is the slogan of the joint Russian-Indian enterprise. No one has ever dared to equip a fighter aircraft with a missile weighing two and a half tons. "It was a big challenge for us. We developed new mountings, modified electronic circuits and, of course, the launcher itself".
In the skies over the exhibition, there was a struggle for the audience's attention between the French Dassault Rafale and the Swedish Saab JAS 39 Gripen. Pilots of the helicopters demonstrated that not only bombers can nose dive. Sukhoi Su-30 didn’t have to prove anything. As soon as it appeared on the takeoff strip, everyone took out their cameras. "The cobra performed by Su-30 is something unique".
Still, the main action took place behind closed doors. The Russian delegation held talks with over a hundred existing and potential customers. "Great practical interest was attracted by those units of the Russian weapons and military equipment, which are now being actively used during the antiterrorist operation in Syria".
Almost everywhere on the exhibition, one can see a sign "Make in India". This is how Delhi's policy can be briefly described. According the customers' request, Moscow offers not the equipment, but the technology for its manufacture. One of such latest projects was the light helicopter Kamov Ka-226. "40 machines assembled in Russia will be delivered from Russia to speed up the supply to India. And afterward, 160 helicopters will be assembled here".
Nowadays, 70% of the park of the republican Air Force consists of Russian aircraft and helicopters, and, therefore, India offered Russia to participate in the development of its own fifth-generation fighter.
