Jet-Powered Diplomacy Boosts the Rebalance

Crowds gather as the flying display begins on the first of the public days at the Singapore Airshow. Crowds totaled 100,000 across Saturday and Sunday. (Lockheed Martin)

A week ago, the media covered the Singapore Airshow in depth. The focus of the articles was conventional for an airshow: $32 billion in sales, possible shakeups in the business world, and policy statements by senior industry and government leaders. The coverage, as it always does, tapered off after the first couple of days when the wellspring of eye-catching news dried up.

Anatomy of an Airshow

All airshows are comprised of two distinct elements: Trade Days and Public Days. The Trade Days are at the opening of an airshow. During this period, only select individuals are allowed into the exhibition. The halls are flooded with senior military leaders running between high-profile meetings and captains of industry hosting delegations at their chalets. Private companies display their wares for prospective buyers from governments and industry – anything from A380's to tactical noise-cancelling headphones. Aircraft loiter in static displays and/or perform demonstrations outside in the hopes of persuading interested parties to purchase the aircraft or, in the government's case, to encourage strategic military partnerships.

Bell/Boeing V-22 Osprey hovers at the Singapore Airshow. (Defense Update)

How Few Remain

The Public Days in Singapore were wildly successful. Around 100,000 people watched the show at the show site, while others watched from nearby areas. The attendees flooded the static displays, waiting in lines for hours to get onto the aircraft for even just a few minutes. Hordes descended on the Exhibition Hall to see the few open booths. Many of those booths remaining were for Singaporean industries and government agencies but one additional country maintained its presence: the United States.

If you look at the numbers, the United States and its equipment dominated the Public Days. Of the thirteen demonstrations that occurred, five were provided by American military units from Pacific Command: the MV-22 Osprey, the C-17 Globemaster, and three performances by the F-16 Falcon (Viper). Of the remaining seven performances, six were performed by other countries using American-made aircraft: the Australia's "Rhino" (F-18), two by South Korea's Black Eagles (F-16), and two by Singapore's Black Knights (F-16). For the span of two days, the full capabilities of the American armed forces and industry were on display for 100,000 people with little to no competition for their attention. That's exposure most companies or countries would die for.

The American aircraft were clearly among the most popular aircraft in the static displays as well. Between the aircraft mentioned, plus the P-8, the KC-103J, the KC-135, and Singapore's F-15 and C-130, servicemembers reported lines with over two hours waiting time in the blazing heat just to glimpse the aircraft and, more importantly, get pictures with American aviators.

The enthusiasm extended to the Exhibition Hall. The United States was the only government besides Singapore with a functioning booth on the Public Days (in full disclosure, the author is the program manager for said booth). Thousands of visitors from Singapore and other countries in the region visited, posing for pictures with American servicemembers and asking questions about the capabilities of American aircraft, particularly the ones flown in the demonstrations. By every measure, the United States dominated the PR campaign on the Public Days.

Evidence of the Rebalance?

What is most remarkable about the American presence is that it occurred despite the budget turbulence in the Department of Defense. Contrast this presence with the Paris Airshow, which this past year featured only a single MQ-9 static display. There is clear attention being paid to outreach in the Asia-Pacific evidenced by the greater latitude Pacific Command enjoys in supporting these airshows. The U.S. government’s VIP presence reinforces this perspective. The official delegation featured over 20 senior defense and foreign affairs leaders including Frank Kendall, Undersecretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics, in a rare appearance overseas tradeshow.

This public engagement will continue to influence policy in East and Southeast Asia. Most of the crucial states in the region are democratic, thus giving the average citizen influence over the direction of state policy. If the United States wants to continue building support in the region, it will need to continue its successful strategy of broad engagement with all levels of society and visible contributions to important regional events.

In Singapore, tens of thousands of ordinary citizens will remember the capabilities of the United States because they saw them up close and personal. A single aerial maneuver or smiling picture with an American pilot is worth a thousand policy statements.

Matthew Merighi is the Tradeshow Director in the Office of the Undersecretary of the Air Force for International Affairs (SAF/IA). His views do not reflect the views of the United States Government, Department of Defense, or Air Force.