IAF's Sarang Helicopter Display Team performs at MAKS Air Show in Russia

Moscow, July 20: The Sarang Helicopter Display Team of the IAF performed for the first time at the MAKS International Air Show held at Zhukovsky International Airport, Russia. The air show is a biennial fixture and this year’s edition is scheduled from 20 July 2021 to 25 July 2021.

 

 

This is the first occasion when the Sarang Team is performing its four helicopter aerobatics display in Russia, with its ‘Made in India’ ‘Dhruv’ Advanced Light Helicopters (ALH). These HAL manufactured machines have hinge less rotors and are equipped with state-of-the-art avionics, which makes them extremely suitable for military aviation. Apart from the IAF, the Indian Army, the Indian Navy and the Indian Coast Guard also operate this helicopter.

 

 

Earlier, Sarang had on its Twitter handle published pictures of the HAL manufactured Dhruv helicopter being loaded into C-17 strategic transport aircraft from the Indian Air Force base at Yelahanka near Bengaluru.

 

 

MAKS 2021 is only the second major in-person trade airshow to go ahead since the coronavirus pandemic. The previous edition of the bi-annual international event was held in 2019. Pegged as one the world's largest aviation forums, the mega event will provide a grand forum to the local as well as global aviation firms to showcase cutting-edge technologies, platforms and systems from the aerospace domain.

 

 

Airbus will be bringing its A350-1000 to the event for the first time, but it is Russia's own aerospace industry that will take centrestage, with the Sukhoi Su-35 and Su-57E expected to be highlights of the flying display.

 

 

Participating teams will include the Russian Knights, Swifts, Russian Falcons and Berkuts from the Russian Air Force and the civilian First Flight aerobatic team.

 

The Sarang Team was formed in 2003 at Bangalore and its first international display was at the Asian Aerospace Airshow at Singapore in 2004. Since then, Sarang has represented Indian aviation at air shows and ceremonial occasions in UAE, Germany, UK, Bahrain, Mauritius and Sri Lanka till date. Apart from aerobatics displays at national and international venues, the team has also taken active part in numerous Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief Missions like Op Rahat in Uttarakhand (2013), Cyclone Ockhi in Kerala (2017) and Op Karuna flood relief in Kerala (2018).