KUALA LUMPUR: Aerobatic teams from four countries are set to blaze the skies of Langkawi next week.
The teams from Malaysia, India, Indonesia and Russia will showcase their aerial might at the Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace Exhibition (LIMA) 2019 at Padang Matsirat, Langkawi.
LIMA 2019 will be held from March 26 to 30. It is expected to be opened by Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, who mooted the idea of an exhibition since 1991.
Lieutenant General (Rtd) Datuk Seri Sabri Adam said the Royal Malaysian Air Force fighter pilots were expected to display their aerobatic skills on six Sukhoi Su-30MKM, four McDonnell Douglas F/A-18D Hornets and six BAE Systems Hawk 108/208.
“The Indian Air Force will have two HAL Tejas, the Indonesia Air Force seven KT-1B Woong-Bee by its Jupiter aerobatic team and the Russian Knights five Su-30SM,” said Sabri.
Sabri is LIMA 2019 organiser EN Projects (M) Sdn Bhd’s chief executive officer.
Sabri said 55 fighter jets, other aeroplanes and helicopters from Malaysia, India, Pakistan, the United States, Indonesia and Russia would perform aerial displays at the Langkawi International Airport.
This, he said, was in addition to the 43 aircraft on static display.
Over at the Resorts World Jetty, Sabi said there would be a fleet review of 43 vessels from Malaysia, Bangladesh, Thailand, Brunei, India, Japan, Vietnam, Pakistan, the United States, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Australia, China and Indonesia.
“Additionally, local enforcement agencies will have 43 demonstrations involving maritime aircraft and vessels, while there will be 18 static displays,” said Sabri.
He said LIMA 2019 would include round-table talks, conferences, summits and meetings involving the top brass and captains of industries.
On another note, Sabri said five east European countries would grace the exhibition.
Austria, Belarus, Romania, Slovakia and Ukraine will make their presence felt at the exhibition.
Austria will be represented by Diamond Aircraft Industries GmbH and Belarus by JSC 558 aircraft repair plant, radar and electronic warfare systems, its state military industrial committee and state-owned foreign trade unitary enterprise (Belspetsvneshtechnika).
Romania will be represented by Universal Alloy Corporation Europe; Slovakia will be represented by Czech Sport Aircraft, S.G.S. Expo, Virtual Reality Media and Willing A.S., and Ukraine its state company for export and import of military special products and services (Ukrspecexport).
Sabri said the four were among 32 countries that would bring 406 companies for the exhibition.
“There will be 12 country-pavilions involving the major exhibitors at the Mahsuri International Exhibition Centre.
“The largest will be host-country Malaysia with 192 companies, followed by Australia and Russia 23 each, United Kingdom (21), France (20), India (12) and the United States (11),” said Kok.
He said other notables were Germany, Singapore and Turkey (seven companies each), Italy, Japan and Thailand (six each) and China (five).
The rest will come from Canada, Hong Kong, Indonesia, South Korea, the Netherlands, Norway, the Philippines, Poland, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland.
Meanwhile, India will deploy its INS Kadmatt, an indigenously developed anti-submarine corvette, that will participate in the fleet review.
Indian High Commission first secretary (commerce and information) Dr Varun Jeph said its indigenously developed light combat HAL Teja jets would be supported by the Indian Air Force’s Lockheed C-130 Hercules and the Ilyushin Il-76 transport aircraft.
“Around 90 officers, airmen and technicians will accompany the aircraft,” he said.
Varun said India’s delegation would include its defence production secretary, its eastern seaboard coast guard commander and other top brass.
“Our presence will include defence industries like Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, Defence Research and Development Organisation, Goa Shipyard and BrahMos Aerospace,” he said.