The exhibition was opened on 22 nd May under presence of high-level Kazakh dignitaries, including Secretary of State Adilbek Dzhaksybekov , Minister of Defence Serik Akhmetov and First Deputy Prime Minister Bakytzhan Sagintaev. After the parade of different military music and brass bands from various departments of the government and independent states the flag for KADEX 2014 was hoisted and with that the event opened. KADEX (Kazakhstan Defence Expo) is grown to an event for the Who’s Who of the weapons and defence industries. The international character of this event is a unique opportunity for manufacturers and buyers to studying and investigates the market and bring a view in the future of military technology.

Nearly 300 companies from 27 countries followed the invitation from the organizer to demonstrate their latest advance and technical solutions of military technology. This mass of military technology was of interest to many of the visitors. And so official delegations from the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO members Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Russia and Tajikistan / observers are Afghanistan and Serbia) as well as delegations from India, Israel, Pakistan, Lithuania Turkey, Ukraine and the U.K came also as ambassadors and military attaches from Azerbaijan, Belarus, Germany, Russia, Ukraine, the U.K., the United States, China, France, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, India, Turkey, Lithuania, Poland, Italy, Iran, Romania, Pakistan, Canada, Belgium, Switzerland, Japan, Denmark, the Czech Republic, Spain, Greece, Austria, the Netherlands, Finland, Georgia and Sweden.

In six pavilions, under first rate conditions,the exhibitors presented their products which consisted of aviation and aviation weapons, drones, air defense systems, information technology, communications and logistics solutions and technical support for troops, weapons and equipment for armies, air forces and navies. The Kazakh industry had 80 stands in the hallways for exhibition. Exhibitors could also use a huge outdoor area. This year’s edition is the first time for the Kazakh industry to present their aerospace products. The Turkish industry had Pavilion 4 for its own to gave a overview for their products surrounded from the sea to the space.

The outdoor area was dominated by the world’s largest helicopter, the Mil Mi-26T Halo, which is in service with the Kazakh emergencies ministry. The helicopter received an upgrade to a T model after 20 years in storage. It is definitely a huge helicopter. The model on display had two internal fuel tanks each with 7500 liters capacity.

Another large plane in the outdoor exhibition was the Airbus A-400M Atlas, beside the two Russian top fighters, the Sukhoi SU-30SM and the MiG-35UB. The SU-30SM (first flight of red 16 was in February 2014). Also in the static display were two different versions of the multi role transport aircraft Antonov An-74. One was an An-74TK-200 and the other an An-74T-200A model, both are in service by the Kazakhstan Air Force. One of the brand new two CASA C-295M from the Kazakhstan Air Force are also in the static display.

Interesting for the visitors were the different helicopters. There were several versions from the famous Mil-family in the static area. The new Mil Mi-171E in a wonderful two tone green and brown camouflage, and the older models Mil Mi-17V-5 and Mil Mi-171Sh from the Border Service. The European helicopters in the static were two different Eurocopter EC-145’s, but the helicopters were built by Eurcopter Kazakhstan Engineering opposite Astana airport. The Ukrainian company, Motor Sich had an old Mil Mi-8 which was upgraded to a Mil MI-8MSB on display. The other foreign aircraft in the static display were the US Hawker Beechcraft AT-6 Texan, from the Czech Republic a Zlin Z-242L “Guru” and a Let L-410 UVP-E 20 (this aircraft wore a Russian registration) , and the Austrian Diamond DA-42 Guardian.

The flying display was very small, but it was an exhibition and was not an air show. Every day the following flew in a demonstration: the Airbus A-400m Atlas, and the 4++ generation fighter RAC MiG-35 prototyp piloted by test-pilot Stanislav Gorbunov and navigator Nikolay Murmilov. This MiG version is a derived of the MiG-29K/KUB and MiG-29M/M2 family. Also in the daily flying program were the Su-30SM fighter which was being piloted by the chief test pilot of Irkut Corporation, Hero of Russia, Vyacheslav Averyanov, and the head of department – instructor pilot of the State Aircraft Staff Training and Operational Testing Center of the Ministry of Defense (Lipetsk), Lieutenant Colonel, Ashot Arustamov. The Sukhoi was definitely the star of the show. The crew demonstrated each day the unique capabilities of this thrust vector controlled fighter. Impressive also the daily displays of the powerful AT-6 Texan and the basic trainer Zlin Z242L “Guru”. The Kazakhstan Air Force showed helicopter displays from different types and formation flights or rather flybys of six Sukhoi’s Su-27 M/UBM Flanker’s, five Sukhoi’s Su-25 Frogfoot’s and four MiG-29 Fulcrum’s.

Visitors and participants witnessed a very powerful and noisy demonstration by Kazakhstan’s ground forces and air defense forces. The scenario was that a combined command overwhelmed a terrorist camp. Different helicopters were in use for this command also as tanks, military vehicles and other equipment.

Looking back, it must be said that it was a fantastic and successful event. Around 45 000 visitors came, daily business conferences were organized (nearly 20 a day) and over the course of the event were contracts for orders and agreements signed in a value of approximately $2.6 billion.

For journalists and visitors who waited on Sunday to the end of the event, they got a rare look for their eyes or lens; the Antonov An-12 from the Irkutsk Aircraft Production Association (IAPO) to pick up the technicians of the Su-30SM.

ASR Media wishes to thank the Media and Communications organization of the Ministry of Defence, Kazakhstan with special appreciation to the Officer of the press-service of the Ministry of Defence, Zhansaya Omarova and her team for their hospitality and perfect organization and support.

Flying Display:

• Eurocopter EC-145
• Mil Mi-24V
• MI-8MSB (upgrade by Motor Sich from Ukraine)
• Zlin Z-242L Guru
• Hawker Bechcraft AT-6 Texan
• Mil Mi-171Sh
• Mil Mi-17V-5
• Mil Mi-8MTV-5
• 6 x SU-27M / UBM Flanker
• 4 x Mig-29A / UB Fulcrum
• 5 x Sukhoi Su-25 Frogfoot
• Sukhoi SU-30SM (SM= super maneuverable)
• MiG-35
• Airbus A-400M Atlas
• AN-74 TK-200

Static:

• Kamov Ka-32A11BC Fire Attack
• MI-171Sh
• MI 171E
• MI-17V-5
• MI-26T
• 2 x Eurocopter E-145
• C-295
• An-74T-200A
• L-410 UVP-E 20
• Diamond DA-42 Guardian

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Review and photography by Peter Thivessen and Wolfgang Jarisch for ASR MEDIA LLC.