Despite US Sanctions on Russian Defence and Aviation firms, 7 US Companies To Participate in MAKS-2019 Airshow

As many as seven US defense and aviation companies are participating in the upcoming MAKS-2019 international Aviation and Space Show to be held in Russia from August 27 to September 1, 2019 despite the US imposing sanctions on leading Russian firms in the defense and aviation sector.

Participation from US companies represents around 1% of the total 720 firms signed up to participate in the show, which will make it the most well-attended MAKS show ever.

While China has been roped in as a partner country, it is the presence of US companies which is attracting attention.

Boeing, Honeywell, United Technologies Corporation, Kulite Semiconductor Products Inc., Teledyne Controls, Emerging Markets Communications, LLC and AMETEK PDS are the firms taking part in the event, according to a list of exhibitors put out by the MAKS-2019 organizers.

Honeywell has outfitted Russia’s Irkut MC-21 airliner with avionics equipment such as Satcom to connect with Air Traffic Control, Navigation Receiver, 3D Weather Radars; cabin pressurization; Auxiliary Power Unit (APU);  software to increase flight crew situational awareness during take-off and landing, and to reduce mid-air collisions, etc. The company has also developed APU, Hybrid GPS/IRS system, 3D Weather Radar, among others for Sukhoi SSJ100 Superjet.

In 2013, Honeywell has supplied 300 turboprop engines for Russia’s upgrade of its fleet of Antonov An-2 military aircraft. Later, the company has also worked on providing complete avionics for Antonov An-32 aircraft.

Last July, Sergey Kravchenko, President of Boeing in Russia had stated that the company would buy $27 billion worth Russian products in the next 30 years, of which, $18 billion will be used to import Titanium. “The Russian metal will be used for the production of the B777 and B787 Dreamliner,” he added. Russian firm VSMPO-AVISMA meets 35 percent of Boeing Commercial Airplanes’ demand for the metal.

Kulite Semiconductors whose pressure transducers are used in fighters such as F-35, F-22 and F-18, transport aircraft like C-130 and C-17, and in V-22 Osprey, AH-1W Cobra, AH-64 Apache helicopters, will also be a part of the Russian air show. Kulite sensors are integrated in AMRAAM, HARM and THAAD missiles.  The company also supports American military ground vehicle programs like M1A1 Abrams, HIMARS, etc. It is not yet known if they are in line to supply some semiconductors to Russian companies.

United Technologies Corporation (UTC)-owned Pratt & Whitney manufactures F135 propulsion system that powers all three variants of the F-35 Lightning II fighter aircraft. UTC has a joint venture in Russia- JSC Hamilton Standard-Nauka- to manufacture heat exchanger systems used in aircraft air conditioners.

The other two US-based firms are Teledyne Controls and AMETEK PDS. While the former designs and manufactures onboard avionic and ground-based electronic systems for the aviation industry, AMETEK PDS designs and manufactures electrical power generation and distribution systems. Teledyne Controls has a training center located in Moscow.