143: Appearing at the Paris Air Show!

August 29, 1980.

The morning glow at Paris–Le Bourget Airport was torn apart by the sharp edge of steel and technology.

The 35th Paris International Air and Space Exhibition commenced here, and this grand event, bringing together the most brilliant achievements of human aviation industry, shocked the world with its unprecedented scale!

This airshow not only featured the cutting-edge equipment of the two global superpowers, the Soviet Union and USA, competing on the same stage, but the international debut of the Dragon Country Aviation Industry Delegation pushed this exhibition to legendary heights!

The eyes of countries worldwide were almost all focused on this grand event of the aviation industry!

Even a few days prior, the French President publicly stated to international media: “The sky over Le Bourget has never been so crowded, nor has it ever been so free!”

Peng Lin led a hundred engineers from the Dragon Country Aviation Industry Delegation, gathered in the Dragon Country exhibition area, awaiting the opening of the airshow.

“The French actually allocated a 2000㎡ ‘Dragon Country exhibition area’ in the center of the main exhibition hall; they really think highly of us!”

“This level of treatment almost puts us on par with world superpowers like the Soviet Union and USA!”

“Fortunately, we were well-prepared with various new equipment designed by Chief Engineer Peng, such as the Beidou, Z-8, WZ-10, Z-20, otherwise this empty exhibition area would certainly be incredibly embarrassing!”

“I really don’t know if the French and Western countries are being kind this time, or if they are deliberately targeting us?”

Yang Wei, the chief designer of Shenfei, stood behind Peng Lin and spoke in a cold voice.

At such a major global aviation event as the Paris International Air Show, the size of a country's exhibition area is almost a symbol of that country's strength!

According to international practice, the exhibition areas of the two superpowers, USA and the Soviet Union, are almost always the largest at every international airshow!

Even the host country, as the organizer, comes second!

On one hand, the largest exhibition area is a reflection of the international strength and status of the two superpowers!

On the other hand, as the two superpowers with the most mature and powerful aviation technology, they also have numerous mature and new aviation industrial products to display!

Both superpowers take pride in being able to display more new products, and naturally require larger exhibition areas!

However, this time, the Dragon Country Aviation Industry Delegation, making its international debut, was arranged by the French in the most central position of the main exhibition hall!

Not only did it occupy the best location in the entire Paris International Air Show, but its exhibition area was even as large as those of USA and the Soviet Union!

The implications behind this “special arrangement” couldn't help but make people wonder!

“Don’t mind the French’s petty schemes!”

“It’s nothing more than our Dragon Country’s advanced weapons and equipment selling well in international military orders, largely snatching orders from French military enterprises!”

“So they deliberately placed us in the best position, hoping to use the Soviet Union and USA to suppress us a bit!”

Peng Lin said dismissively.

Facing the rise of Dragon Country’s military industry, although USA and the Soviet Union faced significant challenges to their hegemony, their military enterprises’ orders were not greatly affected because these two countries could sell weapons to their “NATO” and “Warsaw Pact” allies.

However, in contrast, countries like France, the British Empire, Italy, and West Germany, which have always regarded Third World countries as their primary export market for weapons and equipment, have seen their military enterprises' days become difficult.

Especially after losing a large portion of the Middle Eastern wealthy countries' market, the international arms trade orders of several major Western European military powers were almost halved!

So these countries discussed and decided to target Dragon Country’s weakest aviation industry sector!

This was to strike at the powerful image that Dragon Country’s military industry had established internationally!

“However, since the French, as the hosts, have given us the best location in the entire airshow!”

“Naturally, we must also live up to this position!”

Peng Lin smiled again, adding.

Western European countries wanted the Dragon Country Aviation Industry Delegation to be the “protagonist” at the Paris Air Show!

Then Dragon Country naturally had to play this protagonist role well!

As far as Peng Lin knew, military giants such as Dassault of France, Lockheed Martin, Hewlett-Packard, Raytheon, Boeing of USA, and MiG, Sukhoi of the Soviet Union had almost all participated in this Paris International Air Show!

This was the first truly significant gathering of Eastern and Western aviation industry giants in human history!

As the head of the Dragon Country Aviation Industry Delegation, since Peng Lin wanted to showcase Dragon Country’s aviation industrial equipment to the world, he naturally wouldn't be afraid of the exhibition area being too good!

France had its latest third-generation fighter, the Mirage 2000, to display, while USA had its well-known F-15 and F-16, both third-generation fighters, participating!

And now that the Dragon Country Air Force possessed the J-10 “Vigorous Dragon,” how could it be afraid?

...At nine o’clock in the morning.

The sky over Paris–Le Bourget Airport was clear blue, a rare sight of excellent weather.

Exhibitors from various countries around the world left their respective exhibition areas and gathered at the opening ceremony site beside the airport runway.

The French President personally attended the opening ceremony and delivered a speech:

“Ladies and gentlemen, dear aviation pioneers!”

“Today, the sky over Le Bourget will witness the pinnacle clash of human soaring wisdom, and the 35th Paris Air Show is officially open!”

“This is a stage where aviation superpowers have contended for years, and it is also a historic moment: the Eastern Dragon Country is participating in this blue sky extravaganza for the first time with its aviation masterpieces!”

“Let us cut through prejudice with wings, and declare with engine roars that Dragon Country’s fighter jets have arrived on the world stage!”

“I declare the airshow open!”

As the French President announced the opening of the 35th Air Show with an impassioned tone at the opening ceremony, all eyes instantly focused on the Dragon Country Aviation Industry Delegation.

Because the Paris International Air Show, as the largest and most influential international airshow globally, in order to demonstrate an inclusive and open spirit, customarily yields the opportunity for the inaugural performance whenever a new country participates with fighter jets.

Facing the focused gazes of the crowd, Peng Lin nodded to the control tower, and a command came over the radio:

“Dragon Country J-8 demonstration team, take off as planned!”

At the same moment, four silver-gray J-8 fighter jets roared into the sky in a diamond formation, their afterburner flames tracing four brilliant white streaks across the clear sky.

The formation swept past the grandstand at an altitude of 50 meters, the “August 1st” military emblem on their vertical stabilizers gleaming in the sunlight, and the pilots precisely maintained a 10-meter interval, eliciting gasps of astonishment from the crowd.

Subsequently, the lead aircraft suddenly performed a roll at 270°/second, first to the left then to the right, while the wingmen simultaneously rolled in the opposite direction, the four aircraft tearing through the sky like intertwined blades!

Upon ascending to high altitude, the J-8 fighter jets suddenly pulled up collectively to a 70° angle of attack, their ventral air intakes fully exposed, showcasing a clean aerodynamic design without external stores, then dispersed into a “flower” formation!

Peng Lin and the members of the Dragon Country Aviation Industry Delegation looked up at the spectacular flight of the J-8 demonstration team, and couldn't help but applaud and cheer proudly.

In fact, after the J-8 entered service with the Air Force, Peng Lin had requested Shenfei to comprehensively upgrade the J-8, incorporating the development experience of the J-10.

For example, in terms of the flight control system, the J-8's original mechanical-hydraulic flight control was upgraded to the same advanced digital fly-by-wire flight control as the J-10!

This is also the reason why the J-8 flight demonstration team was able to perform such highly difficult maneuvers!

In addition, the J-8 also underwent aerodynamic and structural improvements, such as replacing the previous nose intake with side intakes, to make room for a larger radar and improve high-angle-of-attack flight stability!

Including the radar, cockpit, weapon systems, etc., a series of upgrades and modifications were carried out!

And the results of the J-8's upgrades and modifications were clearly very significant!

Its debut at the international airshow immediately drew gasps of amazement!

“Is this a second-generation fighter?”

“How does the flight control system of Dragon Country’s second-generation fighter feel more advanced than European third-generation fighters?”

A reporter from the French “Aviation Week” stared intently at the J-8 fighter jets performing in the sky, and couldn't help but feel a bit of an existential crisis!

According to instructions from the Élysée Palace, the primary task for European media reporters at this international airshow was to report on the backwardness of Dragon Country’s aviation industry and its disconnect from advanced world technology!

This was to smear Dragon Country internationally and thereby influence Dragon Country’s international arms sales!

But now, reporters from military newspapers such as “Agence France-Presse,” “Aviation Week,” and “Jane’s Weekly” were completely stunned as they watched the J-8 in the sky!

With the J-8’s flight performance and powerful maneuverability, calling it the best fighter below a third-generation aircraft would be no exaggeration!

How could they even begin to write their reports?