Farnborough Airshow kicked off with the usual
impressive aerial acrobatics in the southern town of England, but national
budgets are a cause of concern for the exhibitors. While defence companies can
recreate realistic flying situations, they cannot simulate good business
conditions, and these are worrying times for some of the world's biggest weapons
makers. Sikorsky make the famous Black Hawk helicopters relied on by the US
military. Yet the company executives are trying no to rely on them too much in
return.
Russia is facing even greater challenges. The state arms exporter,
Rosoboronexport, has a big presence in Farborough. It's presence is considered
vital for its business, as recent geopolitical events have closed off some of
its most reliable markets. Rich Middle Eastern and Asian countries are taking up
some of the slack left by dwindling US and European defence budgets, but the
fight for international business will only intensify over the coming years. Al
Jazeera's Rory Challands reports from Farnborough, southern England.
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