The MAKS air show in the Moscow region decided to move

The MAKS air show, which was supposed to take place in July 2023 in the Moscow region, was decided to be postponed: according to RIA Novosti sources, MAKS-2023 will be postponed to a “later date”, TASS reports that the air show will be held in 2024 .

A source close to the organizing committee of the air show told RBC that MAKS was being postponed, but did not name new dates. According to him, the final decision will be made on Thursday. Another source close to the organizers added that as of Wednesday evening, there is still no final decision.

RBC sent requests to the press services of the Ministry of Industry and Trade and Rostec.

The XVI International Aviation and Space Salon MAKS-2023 was supposed to be held from July 25 to 30, 2023.

The International Aviation and Space Salon (MAKS) is held every two years in Zhukovsky near Moscow, at the airfield of the LII named after M.M. Gromov. The exhibition was first held in 1993, since then MAKS, as a rule, lasts six days, of which the last three days the entrance to the air show is open to everyone.

MAKS is an important industry event, the largest aviation exhibition in Eastern Europe and one of the largest public events held in RUSSIA. MAKS is also an air show that hundreds of thousands of spectators come to watch. Russian and foreign aerobatic teams regularly perform at the air show, and prototype aircraft are flown.

The last time MAKS was held from 20 to 25 July 2021. it, in particular, demonstrated the unmanned aerial system VRT-300, which was developed by the Russian Helicopters holding, the prototype of the Sokol-M rescue suit, the model of the Angara-A5V launch vehicle, the Nauka module, as well as a prototype of the 5th generation light tactical aircraft Checkmate (translated from English as “Checkmate”), developed by the Sukhoi company.

According to the developers, Checkmate is able to overcome up to 2.9 thousand km, accelerate to two speeds of sound and carry 7400 kg of combat load. It was also reported about plans to create a two-seat and unmanned versions based on the Su-75. The HEAD of Rostec, Sergei Chemezov, estimated its cost at $30–35 million.

In total, within the framework of MAKS 2021, agreements were signed for a total amount of 265 billion rubles, the organizers reported. From that year and after the start of the Russian special operation in Ukraine , the Russian aviation industry fell under Western sanctions , and the world's largest aircraft manufacturers - Boeing and Airbus - stopped servicing Russian aircraft. At the same time, all leased aircraft were required to be returned to lessors. In response, the Federal Air Transport Agency recommended that Russian airlines not operate flights abroad on foreign leased aircraft, and Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a law on re-registration of rights to foreign aircraft.

Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin said in March that from 2026 it is planned to ensure the annual production of more than 100 aircraft of various modifications in Russia. According to him, tests of the regional Il-114 and the Baikal light multi-purpose aircraft have been completed, and the first flight of the updated Sukhoi Superjet with a Russian engine will take place in the coming months.