Airmen, aircraft on display at Paris Air Show

  • Published
  • By Master Sgt. Scott Wagers
  • Defense Media Activity-Ramstein
LE BOURGET, France (AFNS) --  Airmen stood alongside aviation industry members and an international mix of civilian and military pilots to parade a host of aircraft, reconnaissance platforms and weapon systems at this year's centenary Paris Air Show here June 18.

Le Bourget airfield, located 10 miles north of Paris, drew nearly 2,000 exhibitors from more than 40 countries and 300,000 spectators, according to event organizers.

The organizers used an airstrip made famous as the landing spot for American aviation pioneer Charles Lindbergh's famous trans-Atlantic flight on May 21, 1927.

Maj. Jeremy Saunders, the airshow's U.S. military coordinator, said organizing the simultaneous arrival of 15 different weapon systems and 100 aircrew from Germany, the United Kingdom and as far away as California was "logistically challenging," but in the end it all came together successfully.

HH-60G Pave Hawks from Moody Air Force Base, Ga., F-15E Strike Eagles from Royal Air Force Lakenheath, England, and a C-17 Globemaster III from Charleston AFB, S.C., were on display for airshow spectators.

"This is a great opportunity to show the Department of Defense team's capabilities and to demonstrate our friendship and partnership with the people of France," Major Saunders said.

Senior Airman Chris Clark, an HH-60G aerial gunner said standing next to his helicopter in uniform, representing the Air Force to the people of France brought him, "a sense of pride."

"It's kind of nice seeing people walking around who are interested in what you have to show and are asking good questions. I'm really enjoying it," he said.