Exhibition “AIR FAIR 2016”

AIR FAIR 2016

It brought together more than a hundred exhibitors representing the aviation industry to the city on the Brda River. Once again, the hosts played the first violin, and the guests prepared several surprises.

This year, the exhibition took place at a time when the Ministry of National Defense is ready to settle several cases related to the acquisition of unmanned aerial systems and helicopters for the Polish army. In addition, the topic of the modernization of the MiG-29 fighters, which are in service with the 22nd tactical air base Malbork, as well as the second stage of the modernization of the MiG-29 from the 23rd BLT Minsk-Mazovetsky, is constantly being discussed. . This issue was strongly emphasized in Bydgoszcz. This time the civilian part was poorer; due to the lack of procurement plans for other power structures - the police and the border service.

This year we will start our coverage of the exhibition with Wojskowe Zakłady Lotnicze nr 2 SA, which is becoming the undisputed leader in the maintenance and modernization of aircraft operated by the Polish Armed Forces. The opening of the plant to the public was a great entertainment, thanks to which one could see what the daily work of the brigade looks like. During a general inspection, one could see a C-130E medium transport aircraft with tail number 1502, an almost empty (for now) hall intended for inspection and painting of civil aircraft, a hall for removing paintwork using the PMB method, in which one could see another multi-purpose fuselage of a transport helicopter W-3 Sokół, belonging to the Armed Forces of the Czech Republic, and the daily work carried out during the maintenance and repair of the Su-22 fighter-bomber and MiG-29 fighter. . Another attraction was a painted fragment of the ATR-72 communications fuselage, on which employees of the Bydgoszcz plant receive qualifications for painting civil aircraft in the paint and service center.

The Bydgoszcz plant is consistently preparing for the second stage of modernization of the MiG-29 fighter, which was reflected, among other things, in the presentation of two interesting related proposals at the exhibition. In cooperation with the Saab concern, it was proposed to equip the MiG-29 with modern means of electronic warfare. It is a container with an anti-aircraft missile warning system and a launcher of thermal disruptor cartridges, as well as a launcher of cartridges with anti-radiation interference. In this case, the first container is occupied by one of the underwing suspensions, the second allows the possibility of simultaneous transportation of aviation weapons, since it is attached to the side of the suspension. No less interesting is the joint project of WZL No. 2 SA and Teldat, also based in Bydgoszcz. Both partners are working on a data transmission system for the MiG-29, which, with its solutions, is based on the JASMIN ICT network-centric platform. By connecting to the network, the proposed system will significantly increase the situational awareness of pilots in real time - data will be transmitted through the ground command post.