Power of an Air Show

AVM Manmohan Bahadur (retd)

Air power is the total ability of a nation to assert its will through the medium of air. It comprises primarily the assets of the air force but also includes the air arms of the other Services, state governments and the civilian passenger and cargo fleet. Any differentiation that is made, intentionally or inadvertently, results in undermining the capability of this potent instrument available to the government.

Air shows are events that are hosted by nations to showcase their industry to the world. The showcasing includes many nuances starting with the dissemination of information of the new products that are available for sale. These aviation assets are put on static display for decision makers and the lay public to view up close, and some, if not most, put up a flying display to show their prowess and special capabilities.

Key decision takers and perception makers (media included) are offered flights in the aircraft being publicised to ‘shape the environment’ — in the lead up to the Indian decision to select a fighter for the USD 12 billion (price quoted a few years back in the press) Medium Multi Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) requirement, all leading vendors flew IAF test pilots and some senior officers at Aero India shows while Boeing gave a well-publicised spin to leading industrialist Ratan Tata in an F-18.

Similar ‘customer sorties’ are flown in civil passenger aircraft being offered to airline companies. Armament, avionics, optronics, navigation equipment, computing devices, simulator mock-ups, modern flying helmets and other flying accessories, maintenance equipment et al are hard sold through slick presentations and other sales gimmicks. While all this is the glimmering ‘front end’ of the air show, serious technical and business discussions and hard negotiations go on in the background, as vendors and buyers alike, make use of the opportunity to cash-in on the opportunity of the presence of technical, business and managerial expertise under one roof. It is not for nothing that the disclosure of big business deals, that could have been otherwise announced earlier, are revealed to the world in the environs of an air show as the impact made is magnified many times over. In essence, the host nation, which has the home advantage, announc