Aerospace Planning International Turnout at Dubai Airshow 2019

The KC-390 is no stranger to the Middle East having made several marketing visits to the region after the Farnborough and Paris Airshows, this year represents its Dubai debut where it hopes it can appeal to the deep pockets of the regional air forces as they look for replacements for their legacy C-130 Hercules fleets. Embraer is will have a sizeable presence at the show, also bringing the A-29 Super Tucano, the E195-E2 regional airliner and a selection of business jets.

Russian Helicopters will be making the international debut of its Mil Mi-38 twin-engine heavy helicopter. Initially designed as a replacement for the Mi-8/17, the Mi-38 is being marketed in Dubai with a VIP interior in hope of attracting interest from sheikhs and princes. The company is also planning to bring its twin-engine Ansat helicopter also equipped with a passenger interior. The Ansat will take part in the flying program.

It would not be a Dubai Airshow without the presence of an Airbus A380 in the colours of local carrier, Emirates, the world’s largest operator of the type. With the company’s decision to reduce its A380 orders in favour of the smaller A330neo and A350, prompting Airbus to halt production of the superjumbo in 2021, industry will be waiting to see if Emirates firms up that order and chooses to spread out its deliveries for 150 Boeing 777Xs over a longer period of time.

The U.S. Air Force F-22 Raptor Demo Team has decided to cancel its appearance at the Aviation Nation airshow at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada in favour of an appearance at the Dubai Airshow. The Raptor is no stranger to the region, regularly being deployed to Al-Dhafra airbase near Abu Dhabi also recently making a debut deployment to Saudi Arabia.

Making its return is the Calidus B-250, the locally-developed counter-insurgency platform which was designed by Brazilian development house, Novaer.  Little has been heard of the project’s progress since it was unveiled at the Dubai Airshow in 2017. The carbon fiber-construction machine makes it much lighter than its forbearers potentially giving it increased range and endurance over the competition.

The United Arab Emirates Air Force will make its presence with display appearances by both its Lockheed Martin F-16E/F Desert Falcon and Dassault Mirage 2000, both of which are the subject of upgrade programs, perhaps extending the life of the aircraft until Abu Dhabi is allowed to purchase the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, a type which the UAE has shown significant interest in acquiring. Other fast jets displaying at the airshow include the Royal Air Force’s Eurofighter Typhoon and the French Air Force Dassault Rafale.

Japan will once again being sending one of the Air Self-Defence Force’s Kawasaki C-2 heavy airlifters in a bid to find an export customer for the aircraft.