HAL to take part in Russian air show where Sukhoi Su-57E will be unveiled
20 Aug 2019
Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) and BrahMos Aerospace will take part in the MAKS 2019 (international aviation and space salon) air show in Zhukovsky, near Russian capital Moscow. The MAKS 2019 air show, which is being held from 27 August to 1 September 2019 at Zhukovsky International Airport, will see the participation of several defence majors from across the world.
Russia has announced that it will unveil the export version of Sukhoi Su-57 5th Generation stealth fighter during the biennial event. The export version has been christened Su-57E and Russia expects several countries, including India, to show interest in the fighter.
India had joined hands with Russia to develop the fifth generation fighter jet development programme, but left it half way over the Su-57’s doubtful stealth features, software source codes and war-waging capabilities. Russia, however, offered India a chance to rejoin the programme and Indian Air Force (IAF) Chief Air Chief Marshal Birender Singh Dhanoa has said that the Su-57 will be looked at only after it joins active service with the Russian Air Force.
"The main objective of MAKS is to demonstrate achievements of Russian high tech and receptiveness of the domestic Russian market to joint projects with foreign partners. MAKS provides a comprehensive insight into the priorities and achievements of the Russian aerospace industry. Some prototypes of aircraft and combat systems, as well as experimental units that for one reason or another cannot be shown abroad, are demonstrated exclusively at MAKS," the organiser Aviasalon JSC states on its website.
HAL is involved in manufacturing and assembling several top fighters of the Indian Air Force, including the Sukhoi SU-30MKI, the indigenous Ligh Combat Aircraft Tejas, Hawk Advanced Jet Trainer, Intermediate Jet Trainer HJT-36, Dornier 228, HTT-40 Basic Flying Trainer as also other defence-related products and weapons.
BrahMos Aerospace is a joint venture between India's Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Joint Stock Company "Military Industrial Consortium" "NPO Mashinostroyenia" of Russia. Taking its name from the Brahmaputra river of India and Moskva of Russia, the company has to its credit world's most accurate and only supersonic cruise missile with deep dive capability and software which can select a particular land target from a group of targets.
The 290-kilometre range BrahMos missile can be fired from land, air, ship and submarine, making it an extremely versatile weapon. The company is also working on increasing the range of BrahMos is 500 km and turn it into a hypersonic missile, capable of defeating all the known air defence systems.