SINGAPORE, Singapore (AP) — This week’s Singapore Air Show brought together trade delegations from around the world to show off the latest in civilian and military aviation technology.
The event this year marked the 10th edition of the air show, which showcased cutting-edge planes from the Royal Australian Air Force and the United States Air Force. This included the F-35 Lightning II, the latest U.S.-made fifth-generation fighter jet that has integrated
stealth technology and is considered one of the world’s most advanced combat aircraft.
Major commercial plane makers also touted the latest advancements in their fleets, including Airbus, Bombardier, Gulfstream, Boeing and China’s Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China, known as COMAC.
“We have a very good representation of the latest and the greatest,” said Leck Chet Lam, managing director of Experia Events, which organizes the event. “The Singapore Air Show, the unique part of it is we cover both the aviation and also the defense industries.”
During the Singapore Air Show's aerial displays, COMAC promoted its C919 passenger jet, which China is pushing as an alternative to the European Airbus A320neo and the American Boeing 737 MAX. The daily aerial displays at the event also showcased six military teams and Airbus’ A350-1000.
Within the exhibition hall, the air show featured experimental air taxis, advanced flight simulators, a wide variety of drones and both manned and unmanned helicopters. The static aircraft display under Singapore’s sizzling sun included roughly 35 planes from more than 10 countries.
In all, more than 1,000 companies from around 50 countries participated in the air show, hosted on the grounds of Changi International Airport, Southeast Asia's busiest airport. The event, which opened on Feb. 3, is considered Asia’s largest aerospace and defense exhibition and runs through Feb. 8.
“All the exhibitors can use Singapore as a springboard to then tap into the opportunities that are rising in the Asia-Pacific market, which is a key driver that is driving the growth of the global aviation industry," Lam said.
This is a photo gallery curated by AP photo editors.
