Slovakia will become the first Central European nation to host a static demonstration of US-made F-22 Raptor stealth fighters during an air show in late August, the organizers of SIAF 2022 said
MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 18th August, 2022) Slovakia will become the first Central European nation to host a static demonstration of US-made F-22 Raptor stealth fighters during an air show in late August, the organizers of SIAF 2022 said.
"It has not yet appeared in Central Europe as part of aviation days, and visitors to the SIAF will also enjoy it during an exclusive static demonstration. We will first fully enjoy the two F-22 Raptor fighters in the air," it said in a statement.
The Slovak International Air Fest will be held at Kuchyna air base near Bratislava on August 27-28. The United States is the latest addition to eight participant countries, the organizers said. The Defense Ministry, the event's main partner, sent out invitations to 23 countries.
The much-touted F-22 Raptor is a fifth-generation stealth fighter built by US defense contractor Lockheed Martin with Boeing's help. SIAF 2022 organizers said the jets will be on display for only one day for "security reasons."
The US will also bring a Raytheon-made Patriot missile system to the show. Slovakia received four Patriots from the US, Germany and the Netherlands this year in exchange for sending Soviet-made S-300 air defense systems to Ukraine.
The air show might also put Slovakia's MiG-29 fighters on display for the last time before they are retired. Slovakia was considering donating 11 jets to Ukraine but a decision may not come before it receives 14 F-16s from the US. The first delivery was delayed until 2024 due to a global chip shortage.
