Kazakhstan (2014)

Hardly four hours later (Thursday morning 22 May) the bus was waiting for the hotel again for the ride back to the airport where the KADEX-event was taking place. The weather was not too good, as predicted but the forecast for the next three days was a lot better. Collecting our passes went very smooth and with expectations running high we headed for the show terrain. On our way to the static show we passed an exposition of numerous military vehicles and fire trucks. When arriving at the aircraft some disappointment was felt when the static display apparently did not contain any fighter aircraft of the Kazakhstan Air Force! The static did however contain a number of other aircraft and helicopters of the air force, the Ministry of Emergency Situations and the Border Guard. Besides that there was some modern hardware of different sorts, like a Russian MiG-35 and a Su-30, an A400M and some other aircraft. Parked in the grass were six nice Kazakhstan Air Force Mi-8s and two Mi-24s. Soon a number of choppers started up for the official opening of KADEX. This opening was, like during the previous edition, a demonstration of an anti-terror operation followed by de demonstration of all sorts of military vehicles ending with a demo by three T72 tanks. Despite the lack of fighter aircraft on the ground everybody was confident that the air force could not stay absent after so much army display and soon after a group of four fighters was seen in the distance. They appeared to be four MiG-29 and then another group was seen (a group of six Su-27s)! After the army demonstrations were over the fighters were able to display. Despite the fact that they stayed a bit far away a demo by six Kazakh Flankers in their awesome blue colour scheme is very impressive. The show was ended by four Su-25s that were further away than the Flankers and Fulcrums unfortunately. The rest of the day was spent on the static display and the air show consisted of demos by the foreign company aircraft and the brand new Border Guard Mi-171. Since the weather had deteriorated by now we returned to the hotel in time. In the evening the majority enjoyed a fine dinner and a beer in the restaurant just across the hotel.