Mighty shows in Langkawi

What say you on the issue below?

12 o’clock high: South Korea Air Force’s Black Eagles executing a move during their aerial display in Langkawi.

LANGKAWI: The Langkawi Inter-national Maritime and Aerospace Exhibition (Lima), which is into its 14th edition this year, took off with a stunning aerial display, rocking the skies of the idyllic island.

The flypast gambit by the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) also wowed spectators at the opening ceremony at the Mahsuri Interna-tional Exhibition Centre.

The show started off with a bang and ended with an “explosion” before a wall of flame appeared on the tarmac as a squadron of planes from the RMAF made a spectacular fly-by.

Concluding the ceremony was a flypast by three Airbus A400M, Malaysia’s latest military transport aircraft belonging to the RMAF.

Later in the afternoon, the Black Eagles of the South Korea Air Force conquered the air space with their awesome stunts.

They even drew a heart shape and the yin-yang circle of the South Korea national flag using the smoke trails of their KAI T-50 Golden Eagle aircraft.

The Russian Knights, the aerobatic display team of the Russian Air Force, then tore the skies in their Sukhoi Su-30SM fighter jets.

Also wowing the crowd were RMAF’s Sukhoi Su-30MKM, French Air Force’s Dassault Rafale, Royal Thai Air Force’s Gripen fighter jet and a double dose of the United States Air Force’s B-1B Lancer variable sweep-wing bomber.

Earlier, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, who launched the five-day Lima 2017, addressed the crowd.

Among those present were Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, Transport Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai and Defence Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein.

During a tour of the exhibition booths, Zahid urged Asean member countries to work together in the Asean Defence Industry Collabo-ration.

“The total revenue of this industry would amount to about US$100bil (RM442bil) by 2030.

“Malaysia has to take the opportunity to participate in the industry collaboration,” he told reporters later yesterday.

International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed said the aerospace industry in the country was expected to grow at 7% this year.

Mustapa noted that the maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) industry would continue to expand especially in the engine and engine components segment with an MRO revenue target of RM6bil.

Mustapa spoke after witnessing the signing of MoUs and MoAs between the ministry and several companies like UMW Corp, UMW Land, and CTRM.

He also said the Government viewed the aerospace industry as a critical sector which offered opportunities for the transfer of advanced technologies.