Page 18 - Australian Defence Magazine March-April 2022

18 DEFENCE BUSINESS SINGAPORE AIR SHOW
MARCH-APRIL 2022 | WWW.AUSTRALIANDEFENCE.COM.AU
BACK TO BUSINESS – SINGAPORE AIRSHOW 2022
The 2022 iteration of the biennial Singapore Airshow was held between February 15 and February 18 and provided a welcome return to business for a region hit hard by COVID-19.
NIGEL PITTAWAY | SINGAPORE
ALTHOUGH smaller than the 2020 event, which itself was im- pacted somewhat as the pandemic took a grip, the 2022 show was generally well represented and provided a wel- come opportunity to meet face-to-face once again.
According to Leck Chet Lam, the Managing Director of organising company Experia Events, almost 600 companies were represented at the show, including 70 per cent of the top 20 global aerospace organisations. In addition, Chet Lam predicted 39,000 trade visitors, from 39
countries, would attend the event.
HIGHLIGHTS
Although there was not a great deal of news re- ported at Singapore 2022, the skies above the event and the static aircraft parking area adja- cent to the Changi Exhibition Centre (CEC) nevertheless provided plenty for visitors to see.
Another type making its Singapore debut was one of the 16 Airbus Helicopter H225M combat search and rescue (CSAR) helicopters now being delivered to the Republic of Singapore Air Force.
Equally, Boeing’s new KC-46A Pegasus tanker made its first appearance in the static display, having supported the deployment of two US Air Force Lockheed Martin F-35A Joint Strike Fighters to the show. A third F-35, an F-35B Short
Making its debut at a Singapore show this
year was India’s Tejas Light Combat Aircraft
(LCA), a home-grown product now entering service with the Indian Air Force (IAF). Two aircraft were on display at Singapore 2022, one in the static park and one which took part in the daily flying display.
design projects underway at the present time.
Represented in the flesh was India’s LCA, which is pow- ered by an afterburning GE F404 engine (similar to that used by Australia’s ‘Classic’ Hornets) and displayed at
“CHET LAM PREDICTED 39,000 TRADE VISITORS, FROM 39 COUNTRIES, WOULD ATTEND
THE EVENT”
Take-Off and Vertical Landing (STOVL) ver- sion from the US Marine Corps, impressed trade visitors with its daily handling display, with included 7G turns before coming to a hover low over the water.
INDIGENOUS FIGHTER PROGRAMS
While the various fighter programs active around the Asia-Pacific region are covered in depth by Mike Yeo from page 46, Singapore 2022 highlighted the number of indigenous
NIGEL PITTAWAY