The 23rd edition of the International Air and Space Fair (FIDAE) concluded in Santiago, Chile, bringing together more than 420 exhibitors from 45 countries, some 200 official and professional delegations from around the world, and more than 100,000 visitors. The Chilean Air Force (FACH) organized the fair, held biennially, April 9-14, on the grounds of the FACH’s 2nd Air Brigade.
FIDAE is recognized as the most important aeronautical, aerospace technology, and defense exhibition in the Southern Hemisphere. On this occasion, the event was dedicated to companies and agents in the areas of Defense, Aircraft Maintenance, Civil Aviation, National Security, Space Technology, and Airport Services.
“The deployment and presence of the United States worldwide in fairs such as FIDAE 2024 establishes a technological capability, which far exceeds other nations in terms of supply, variety, and technological advances,” Guillermo Holzmann, defense analyst and academic at the University of Valparaíso, Chile, told Diálogo on May 6. “The United States pays special attention to maintaining and increasing joint training operations, activities to improve, deepen, and coordinate strategies, and to command and control weapons systems in Latin America. The U.S. is the perfect match to upgrade each of them or incorporate new systems.”
The Space Conference 2024 marked the beginning of the event, as a summit dedicated to space innovation and exploration that attracted experts and industry leaders, who shared their knowledge and visions on the future of space exploration, its challenges, and multilateral cooperation. Chilean Minister of Defense Maya Fernández and Air General Hugo Rodríguez González, FACH commander, among other authorities, attended the inauguration of this third edition.
“Through these instances, the FACH has the opportunity to join forces and to disseminate the work in this area, to promote knowledge and the rational, sustained, and sovereign use of space for the benefit of the community,” Gen. Rodríguez said during the inauguration. “This Space Summit has the participation of academics, scientists, space and science organizations both national and foreign, with presentations on topics as diverse as remote sensing, space and economic technology, satellite communications, and space exploration opportunities.”
The U.S. in attendance
The United States has taken part in the Fair in a special way for 30 years; this time with a pavilion of 85 companies, the largest contingent in this version of the fair. The delegation was led by U.S. Under Secretary of the Army Gabe Camarillo; Major General Evan L. Pettus, commander of U.S. Air Forces Southern/12th Air Force; and U.S. Assistant Deputy Under Secretary of the Air Force Major General Julian C. Cheater.
“That’s nearly 200 members of the U.S. Army, Air Force, and military present at FIDAE 2024,” said U.S. Ambassador to Chile Bernadette Meehan during the show. “For us, the U.S.-Chile military relationship, after 200 years of official relationship, is one of the most important and strongest in the entire hemisphere.”
Several units from the U.S. Air Force (USAF) and the U.S. Space Force (USSF) participated, including the USAF F-22 Raptor aerobatics team, which performed precision maneuvers to demonstrate the unique capabilities of the fifth-generation fighter aircraft, the U.S. Embassy indicated. In addition, the MQ-9 Reaper UAV and three C-130J Super Hercules transport aircraft from the Texas Air National Guard were present. All of this along with the USAF Academy’s Wings of Blue parachute team, which showcased their skills to the audience.
“The strong U.S. representation at FIDAE 2024 speaks to a consistency with its foreign policy, with its defense policy associated with air force militaries, which it considers allies,” Holzmann said. “A delegation of such magnitude is an indicator of its confidence in the country where the fair is held and considers it an ally.”
Aircraft such as the F-22 Raptor, the F-16 Fighting Falcon with Block 50 and Block 15 models, the F-5 Tiger III, the A-29B Super Tucano, the DHC-6 Twin Otter, and the MH-60M Black Hawk and Bell 412 helicopters were among the highlights of the aerial demonstrations. Also acclaimed were the acrobatics of the Brazilian Air Force’s Smoke Squadron; and the FACH’s High Acrobatics Squad Halcones, among others.
The XX Meeting of Logistics Commanders of the South American Air Forces was also held April 9-11, bringing together the logistics commanders of the air forces of Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru, and Uruguay, together with the guest countries the Dominican Republic, Portugal, Spain, and the United States. These authorities presented and exchanged experiences to find opportunities for improvement in the logistics processes of each of their forces.
Within the framework of FIDAE 2024, the ministers of Defense of Chile and Brazil, Maya Fernández and José Mucio Monteiro, respectively, held a high-level meeting to deepen their strategic defense relationship, the Chilean Ministry of Defense indicated.
The meeting resulted in a Declaration of Intent for Satellite Cooperation, which seeks to promote and enhance bilateral work in this area, with a focus on training, capacity building, and exchange, in addition to technical cooperation and exploration od other joint work.