Le Bourget (France) (AFP)

Struck by the economic sanctions of the European Union, Russia does not present military equipment this year at the Paris Air Show, which does not prevent it from negotiating future contracts for its planes and helicopters, civil and military.

On the tarmac, American fighters, French, Brazilian military planes, Japanese, but no Sukhoi, MiG hunters or helicopters hit with the red star. The exposure of Russian aircraft comes down to an amphibious water bomber, the Beriev BE-200, and two ANSAT multirole civil helicopters.

The medium-haul civil aircraft Sukhoi Superjet 100, pride of the Russian aviation industry, one of whose models ignited early May during an emergency landing in Moscow killing 41, is not present no more.

"There is no major change" compared to previous editions, notes to AFP, Patrick Daher, general curator of the show. "What has not been for several years is the presence of fighter planes," he continues, adding that "it is not a blockage on our part."

"It's because of the sanctions, we would have liked to present military planes," a representative of Rosoboronexport told AFP. The Russian public company in charge of arms sales has a chalet at the show to receive delegations and customers.

Managing Director Alexander Mikheev believes he is being "unfairly competitive" but has told FlightGlobal magazine that he expects to attract the attention of "delegations from around the world because almost no one else can showcase so many products that have been tested. in real combat conditions ".

Russia is the world's second largest exporter of arms.

European sanctions, which affect Russian banks, defense companies and oil companies, were decided in the summer of 2014, at the height of the Ukrainian crisis, a few months after the annexation of Crimea by Russia followed by the offensive of pro-Russian rebels in eastern Ukraine. The United States goes even further by threatening sanctions against any entity or country that enters into arms deals with Russian companies.

Kiev and Westerners accuse Russia of supporting separatist rebels, including supplying them with weapons, which Moscow denies.

- "Potential customers" for the MiG-35 -

Owner of the MiG manufacturer, integrated in 2006 with other Russian aircraft manufacturers in the public company United Aircraft Corporation (UAC), Ilya Tarasenko spends the whole week at the show.

"It's a traditional event, it's the perfect place to meet all our partners in the world," he told AFP. "This is where we are finalizing our discussions with them", even though the MAKS Moscow Air and Space Show, which is being held at the end of August, "is a priority" and there "where we will announce the contracts".

He took advantage of the Bourget including to extol the merits of the MiG-35 fighter, ordered at this stage to 6 copies by Russia and competitor including the Rafale and the Eurofighter. But he is also talking to representatives of some 30 countries who have bought MiG-29s, more than 800 of which are still in service around the world, to sell technical services and training modules.

"We consider them as potential customers for the MiG-35", he slips to AFP.

For Andreï Boguinski, CEO of Russian Helicopters came to Le Bourget to show a version of ANSAT, intended for rescue services, the show "is a good opportunity to present our tools in civil aviation to different types of customers."

Member of the giant military-industrial conglomerate Rostec, Russian Helicopters is moving towards the civilian side. Some 90% of the helicopters that came out of its factories two years ago were military, today "30 to 40%" are civilians.

He plans to sell the Ka-226T, presented as a civilian model, light and versatile, to the Indian army. The machine should be equipped with a French Safran engine. As part of this future contract, 60 copies would be manufactured in Russia, the other 140 in India.

"We have finalized all the technical issues in February, we are waiting to be invited to start the trade negotiations," told AFP Mr. Boguinski.

Russian Helicopters is also hoping to ride the wave of flying taxi projects by developing the VRT-500, a future light helicopter with a dual coaxial rotor, whose first prototype will be presented in 2020.

? 2019 AFP