Asian Aerospace 2006: Towards the Beckoning Heaven We Soar

it was a first time for me to go for a blind date with people i'd met online, and i naturally wondered for awhile how they would actually turn out to be like - even though we'd all been discussing and arguing with each other in the military nuts, key publishing aviation and ACIG for years.

they turned out to be really good and funny guys and we all got on great!

i'd worried a few weeks ago whether i could get AA2006 trade day tickets - public days are horrendously packed and full of irritating ginahs pointing at aeroplanes and squeaking what's thaaaat? and i'd rather not go at all than put up with all that shit. whereas trade days are basically business days, technically for industry to meet up with armed forces and airlines and all other things that go on at your usual corporate conference. much quieter, the people there take you seriously, and there's the feeling of being a part of the whole defence/aerospace community. besides, i have a personal tradition of having gone on trade tickets for the last two Asian Aerospaces and i wasn't about to stop for the very last AA.

then dad managed to get me a ticket, and then fellow forumite ChineseJunk - aka Straits Times defence correspondent David Boey - gets me two more! so i decide to spread the joy, and my two new friends snapped them up.

as usual AA2006 was at CIECC in the norhtern wing of the airport. to get there we took svc 19 from tampines and of course the usual security check at the Changi Village carpark. then a long queue to get in (this being the first day) and we missed most of the flying display while in the registration tent... though the other forumites who were there got some good photos.









first highlight was one of the RSAF's very own AH-64D Apaches, likely the most capable Apaches in existence - with Longbow radar, Arrowhead TADS/PNVS and laser warning receivers like the Brits' WAH-64. we talked to one of its pilots and learned a lot from him that we otherwise could not have known.





alongside in the entrance display was an F-35 mockup complete with P&W/Rolls-Royce F135 vertical-lift engine, a Gripen and an EC-120B.

then we went inside, the aircon being a great relief from the blazing sun. spent time at the Raytheon stand, where a sales rep explained to us the intricacies of Mk-46, -48 and -54 torpedoes and APG-63(v)3 AESA radar. had fun joking with him on export prospects and kanzer was very interested in the prices (a Mk-54 torpedo, for instance, costing less than US$500,000). continued walking around, especially the stands for Boeing, EADS, MBDA, P&W, GE, Northrop-Grumman etc, but saw mainly stuff we had seen in previous shows.

next was outdoors to the static display, with a brand new RSAF F-16D/52 in full glory with LANTIRN, EW bulges and CFTs, plus the usual American F-15s, -16s, -18s, various trainer aircraft, and many business jets. we asked the US Navy crew hanging around if the F-18F on display was for sale - and they said we could have it for 79 million dollars! laughs all round and kanzer made a big show of signing an imaginary check. here's your 79 million, and i'll take that plane home - but hmm where shall i park it??


kanzer's new toy


the biggest planes were parked further away on what CAAS calls the West Cargo Apron, and a bus was provided to get us there. here i fulfilled my most cherished objective - to cast my eyes upon a flesh-and-blood Airbus A380, totally enormous and glorious in full SIA colours. pity it was still French-designated, as F-WWDD, not 9V-SXX as full-fledged SIA planes carry. it was good gawking. we overheard a woman whining that there were no tours inside the A380. fact is, the A380 here is just for show only and inside is filled with the test equipment and computers - hardly any seats. you want to be first to see inside, just pay money for the inaugural A380 flight to Heathrow larh!

A380


there were also a B-1B, KC-135R and C-130J. though we found ourselves more interested in the RSAF KC-135s parked discreetly across the tarmac at Changi Air Base(West). why no Fokkers? asked YourFather.


USAF guy's siesta time


went back into aircon to see the land and naval exhibits. interesting stuff here too - an army warrant told us about the new MATADOR antitank rocket, and all kanzer wanted to know was whether it was lighter than the old ARMBRUST. turns out the new one is heavier though more powerful - and he said straightaway he prefers the old one lol. also new sniper rifles, a new camera rifle-grenade for "seeing over the next hill", non-lethal shotgun ammo for riot control, the Terrex, Bronco, an ST Engrg upgrade for the M113 with firing ports(!), glass cockpit and FLIR and door-gun package for the Super Puma, the Pegasus ultralightweight field howitzer, a new lightened SAR-21 with red-dot reflex sight, and even the Fantail - a little remote controlled helicopter thingy with a camera you use to spy on the enemy. among many other things!

the M8 AGS, which our Army is considering buying


it was closing time soon and we headed to Bedok hawker centre for chendol and kuay teow before heading home. AA2006 wasn't as good as '04 or '02, but well worth the time nonetheless!



L-R:
"kanzer" kwong leong, 29, business analyst with Senoko Power

"YourFather" junwen, 23 (i think), NUS electrical engineering