The International Aviation and Space Salon (MAKS), which was supposed to be held in Zhukovsky near Moscow from July 25 to 30, was postponed indefinitely. This was reported by Kommersant, citing five sources in the aviation industry.
According to the publication, the event is postponed for security reasons. “It is probably possible to strengthen security measures, but the use of electronic warfare (electronic warfare equipment) against potential threats from drones would interfere with the flight program and would hardly make sense,” said one of the interlocutors close to Rostec.
Most sources suggested that MAKS would be rescheduled to 2024 “or beyond.” Vedomosti sources said the air show had been rescheduled for 2024. The final decision will be made on May 25 at a meeting in the Ministry of Industry and Trade.
The organizers of the air show, the Ministry of Industry and Trade and Rostec, did not answer questions from journalists of the publication.
Three participants of the air show have already canceled preparations for the event. One large enterprise has confirmed receiving preliminary information about “high probability of cancellation”, while they continue the preparatory work.
MAKS is an international aerospace exhibition that has been held every two years in Zhukovsky near Moscow at the airfield of the Gromov Flight Research Institute since 1993. Since 2005, it has had the status of an event of federal significance. This year the event was to be held for the 16th time.
Kommersant notes that the air show has never been canceled in 30 years. This did not happen even amid the cancellation of the international aerospace show in Le Bourget (France) in 2021 and the Farnborough 2020 air show (UK) due to the coronavirus. One of the sources of the publication said that the organizers will not allow the use of the term “cancellation”. According to him, “one way or another, next or 2025, the salon will still take place.”
