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Dubai Air Show encourages partnership, compatible hardware

  • Published
  • By Chief Master Sgt. Trish Freeland
  • U.S. Air Forces Central Command
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates --  More than 150 service members participated in the 11th Dubai Air Show Nov. 15 through 19 here.

The Dubai Air Show is currently the third largest air show in the world and the U.S. has participated every year since the first show. The show's opening day presented a who's who list of distinguished guests. Sheikh Mohammad Bin Rashid, ruler of Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Sheikh Mohammad Bin Zayed, ruler of Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, Gen. Norton A. Schwarz, Air Force Chief of Staff, and Gen. David Petraeus, Commander, United Sates Central Command, were among the leaders who attended the opening ceremonies.

"This is a gathering of nations from this region and the world that come together to look at airplanes, talk about air power and to gel some of their decision-making," said Lt. Gen. Mike Hostage, commander of U.S. Central Command Air Forces. "I had a chance to meet my counterparts in the gulf, air chiefs and ministers of defense and answer questions about U.S. air power."

In addition to discussing air power, one of the primary reasons the United States participates in the Dubai Air Show is to demonstrate a commitment to regional security in the gulf.

"Participation in this air show benefits our nation's strategic security interests," said Mr. Bruce Lemkin, the deputy undersecretary of the Air Force for international affairs.

A key security interest is that of interoperability between weapons systems. While the U.S. doesn't tell its coalition partners what kinds of aircraft to buy, it does encourage the use of the same of the same or similar systems.

"If we operate the same equipment, the only thing left to work on is tactics, techniques and procedures," said General Hostage.

While encouraging coalition partners to employ compatible systems is a priority, one airframe not for sale is the F-22 Raptor.

The Raptor made its first appearance in the Middle East on day one of the Dubai Air Show and delivered an encore performance at the show's close on day five. The sight of it in the sky left the audience in awe.

"Whenever we have a new weapon system we like to try it out in different environments. I'm looking forward to the results from us being here," said Col. Dirk Smith, 1st Operations Group commander, deployed from Langley Air Force Base, Va. "Just bringing the aircraft out here and displaying its capabilities stimulates conversations about interoperability and how to work together in the future," he added.

Two years of planning went into the execution of this year's Dubai Air Show. Airmen, Sailors and Soldiers provided logistics, protection and maintenance support to the various U.S. aircraft on display and performing aerial demonstrations. That alones highlights the most important ingredient in making any event a success--people.

"These airframes are nothing without the men and woman who make them into air power," said General Hostage. "Other nations can buy the same airplanes but they will never have air capability like ours until they figure out how to replicate the wonderful men and woman who operate and maintain the aircraft."