World's top 2002 air show opens in Farnborough, Britain

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Tuesday, July 23, 2002

World's top 2002 air show opens in Farnborough, Britain

One of the world's most important air shows of the year opened in Farnborough, to the south of London, on Monday.

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One of the world's most important air shows of the year opened in Farnborough, to the south of London, on Monday.

This is the first air show after September 11. It is held whilethe world civil aviation industry is still reeling after the disaster but defense expenditure is booming as governments seek tocounter the threat of further attacks.

Up to 300,000 executives, ministers and manufacturers are expected to come to Farnborough in southeast England. Security hasbeen tightened, a reminder to the industry of the turbulent futureit still faces.

The last Farnborough air show two years ago was plunged into mourning over the Paris crash of the Concorde supersonic airliner and the 2002 gathering could be an equally muted affair.

This year, the air show was strongly shadowed by the September 11 event, when four airliners were hijacked to attack the United States targets and strongly effected world's confidence in civil aviation.

That is the reason why the aviation industry all through the world is in no mood to celebrate. The industry is facing its worstcrisis since the Gulf War a decade ago. With more than 2,000 planes still lying idle, losses are endemic and overcapacity rampant.

But civil aviation loss is reportedly to be the defense industry's gain.

US President George W. Bush has proposed a 379 billion US dollar defense budget for the coming U.S. fiscal year while Britain has agreed to the biggest real increase in defense spending for two decades.

French President Jacques Chirac meanwhile is determined to raise France's military profile.

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