The 51st International Paris Air Show at Le Bourget, France, is expected to attract 2,215 exhibitors, 150 aircraft, and upwards of 139,000 trade visitors before the show even opens to the public, said Gilles Fournier, managing director of the show, during a press conference Tuesday in Washington, D.C. PAS Chairman Emeric d’Arcimoles said the show is slated to be the most visited international airshow this year by military and government delegations, with some 285 separate delegations slated for attendance, including 45 armed forces Chiefs of Staff, 17 Secretaries of Defense, and other senior officials. The show’s organizers, in turn, have invested $52 million in upgrading the exhibition center at Le Bourget since 2005, with new entrance and gate facilities, transport hubs, and increased security. Tom Kallman, CEO of tradeshow company Kallman Worldwide, noted the US presence will be 10 percent larger than it was in 2013, with 360 US companies slated to exhibit at the event. Read more about the show at its English website, here.
The Air Force displayed all the firepower it has amassed on Okinawa in an unusually diverse show of force this week. IIn a May 6 “Elephant Walk,” Kadena Air Base showcased 24 F-35A Lightning II stealth fighters, eight F-15E Strike Eagles; two U.S. Army Patriot anti-missile batteries near the runway; and…