US Military At Farnborough In Force

As one of Europe's biggest air shows gets underway this week, one of the first things you'll notice is the huge US military presence. After pulling back from the Paris Air Show last year because of France's failure to support the war in Iraq, the Pentagon is putting on the dog at Farnborough.

Perhaps it's the venue. The huge airshow that alternates between Paris and Farnborough is in Britain this year. "I can't imagine we wouldn't be there making sure it will be the best, and it wouldn't be the best without the US military," said Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX) in an interview with the Dallas Morning News. "There's no greater ally than Great Britain, and we wouldn't let them down."

Still, the huge wound suffered by the aerosapce industry in the wake of 9/11 is apparent in the numbers of US representatives at the show. While Lockheed Martin sent 175 to Farnborough in 2002, it will send 145 at most to Farnborough this year.

"We've downsized the number of people," said Tom Burbage, F-35 program manager at Lockheed Martin in Fort Worth. "We've been trying to scale back and do the smartest approach," he told the Morning News.

But more companies will be at the show this year. In 2002, 209 US firms were represented at Farnborough. This year, 276 are scheduled to show up. Overall, 1,360 companies will exhibit at the military and civil aviation extravaganza, compared with 1,240 two years ago.

"We always have great support at Farnborough International from US companies, and we're delighted that they are supporting us yet again at this year's event," said the show's chief of exhibitions, Amanda Stainer, in an interview with the Morning News.

The Russians will be there, unlike two years ago when MiG and Sukhoi narrowly escaped having their display aircraft seized by creditors.

"The aerospace industry is in a positive mood," Stainer told the Dallas paper. "The air show will reflect this."

FMI: www.farnborough.com