NATO Member Turkey Invites Russia for Its Debut Eurasia Airshow

Russia’s state-run Rosoboronexport today announced that it is participating in the Turkish Eurasia Airshow 2018, a move certain to invite anger of the US and other NATO nations against Ankara.

Russia has been previously banned from displaying its military hardware in airshows of NATO member nations such as at Farnborough, Paris and Berlin. During the current heightened tension over Syria where Russian defensive systems are employed, their display in a NATO nation’s airshow would raise eyebrows as well as attract attention to their technical features.

Rosoboronexport will be displaying its two leading fighter jets, the Su-35 and the Su-30SME at the Eurasia show expecting interest from the Turkish Air Force to buy them. Both the aircraft have been in operation over Syria since last year.

The Su-30SME is the latest version of the Su-30 and includes upgrades to its weapons firing and avionics systems over the previous Su-30 versions.

At Eurasia Airshow 2018, the Russia’s unified display will feature the Rostec State Corporation, Rosoboronexport and Concern VKO Almaz Antey showcasing air and air defense military equipment, Rosoboronexport said in a statement Wednesday.

Turkey and Middle Eastern countries are peculiarly interested in the Su-35 air superiority fighter, Su-30SME air superiority multirole fighter, Il-76MD- 90A(E) military-transport aircraft, Mi-28NE attack helicopters, Ka-52 attack/reconnaissance helicopters, Mi-35 attack/transport helicopters, Mi-26T2 heavy transport helicopters and Mi-171Sh and Mi-17V- 5 military- transport helicopters, the company stated.