IAF Sarang helicopter display team performs at MAKS 2021 Moscow Air Show

Indian Air Force (IAF) Sarang Helicopter display team performed at the MAKS-2021 Air Show in Moscow on July 19. The IAF’s aerobatic team Sarang will be taking part in the MAKS-2021 International Air Show, held between July 20 to 25 at the Glomov Flight Research Institute’s airfield in Zhukovsku, near Moscow. On Sarang’s Twitter, they published pictures of the Dhruv helicopter developed by HAL being loaded into C-17 strategic transport aircraft from the India Air Force base at Yelahanka near Bengaluru.

MAK 2021 is the second major in-person air show and the first major one to be staged since the coronavirus pandemic. The previous edition of MAK, the bi-annual international aviation event, was held in 2019. It is considered as one of the world’s largest aviation forums as the grand event will be providing a stage to the local and global aviation firms to showcase their cutting technologies, platforms and systems from the aerospace domain. For the first time, Airbus will be bringing its A350-1000 to the event, but Russia’s own aerospace industry is expected to be the centrepiece at the event with Sukhoi Su-35 and Su-57E poised to be the highlights of the flying display. Other teams that are going to participate with include the Russian Knights, Swifts, Russian Falcons and Berkuts from the Russian Air Force and the Civilian first flight aerobatic team.  

Russia and its rising COVID cases

Even though there have been concerns about the rising COVID-19 rates in Moscow, MAKS will be seen as a chance by Russia to show its aerospace capabilities to an international audience. The number of people attending the event will be lesser due to restrictions in international travel. The event is highly anticipated among the local Russians as their technological strength in military and aviation is a great sense of pride. According to Flight Global, high profile Russian aircraft like will Irkut MC-21-310, the version of the narrowbody powered by domestic Aviadvigatel PD-14 engines, as well as the Ilyushin Il-114-300 regional turboprop and Il-112V high-wing light military transport will be taking part in the show this year.

(With inputs from ANI)