Malaysian Exotica at LIMA 2023
The Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace Exhibition (LIMA) made a welcome return to the airshow calendar from 23–27 May 2023 after a four‑year hiatus. Held on the scenic Malaysian island of Langkawi, the usually biennial event was cancelled in 2021 due to the ongoing COVID pandemic, but its 2023 return was in great style, with a flying display that boasted no fewer than five international military display teams and a wide variety of hardware from the Malaysian Armed Forces.
Display teams aren’t always the enthusiasts’ cup of tea, but those present at LIMA were some of the rarest and most interesting military teams currently on the circuit. The People’s Liberation Army Air Force August 1st team made a rare appearance outside their homeland, flying the Chengdu J‑10. Notably, this was the team’s debut of the single‑seat J‑10C variant, which features an enlarged dorsal spine and is powered by the Chinese‑built Shenyang WS‑10B Taihang engine—far more suitable for close aerobatic formations than the Saturn AL‑31FN powerplant used on the J‑10A, the team’s previous mount. Many thought that the rumoured participation of the Russian Knights would not materialise due to current world events, and the Russians left it late to allay those concerns, only arriving at Langkawi International Airport on the evening before the first trade day. This meant there was insufficient time for a rehearsal before they took to the air in front of the industry trade audience. Despite the lack of rehearsal, the display—featuring the international debut of the Su‑35S variant—was an impressive performance of tight formation aerobatics contrasted with the high‑energy cobra and tailslide manoeuvres that crowds have come to expect from Flanker displays.
The Republic of Korea Air Force’s Black Eagles have been very busy over the last 12 months; following their 2022 European tour and display at Avalon 2023, they made a return visit to LIMA, having last displayed in 2017, for an appearance that aligned with the final contract signing of 18 Korea Aerospace Industries FA‑50s for the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF). This was celebrated with a Friendship Flight on Tuesday 23rd, the show’s first trade day, as the T‑50 team was joined by RMAF Su‑30MKMs, F/A‑18D Hornets and Hawk 208s for several formation flypasts.
The Malaysian contribution to the event could not be faulted. Not only did their somewhat legendary opening gambit present almost every type in the Malaysian Armed Forces inventory in either a flypast or a short role demonstration, but there were also fast‑jet solos from the RMAF Hornet and Su‑30, plus a mixture of role‑flying performances from various rotary assets. Considering the RMAF solo displays are usually only seen at LIMA events, both fast‑jet displays were of the same quality as some of the more established solos seen in Europe or North America. A nice point of difference for the Hornet was the fact that the RMAF operates only the twin‑seat F/A‑18D model in the air‑defence and strike roles, which made for a refreshing change from an air display perspective, as European‑based Hornet solos utilise the single‑seat F/A‑18. The Su‑30MKM was the clear crowd‑pleaser, making exceptional use of its thrust‑vectoring capabilities to work cobras and tailslides into a punchy and flowing 10‑minute solo routine.
Away from the flying display, there were plenty of other gems to be found around the showground. The Indonesian Air Force sent their Jupiter Aerobatic Team flying six KT‑1Bs, but it was their VIP and support aircraft that really caught the enthusiasts’ eye. The Monday prior to the show saw a surprise but welcome visit from a CN235‑220MPA of the Indonesian Navy, before a 737‑4Y0 and two Falcon 7Xs of the Indonesian Air Force dropped into Langkawi the following day. Packed tightly within the barriers of a small but high‑quality static park was an F‑5THF Super Tigris of the Royal Thai Air Force—the highlight of the show for many enthusiasts. The Super Tigris is an upgraded version of the F‑5 Tiger, but with a glass cockpit and upgraded datalink systems allowing for increased operability with the Thai Gripen and F‑16 fleets. Unmarked and potentially under the radar in the static park was a P180 Avanti of the United Arab Emirates Air Force, one of only two in service, with the rare light utility aircraft present in support of the Fursan Al Emarat team in the flying display.
LIMA is a must‑do show for any enthusiast. You’ll never get an eight‑hour flying display like RIAT or Radom, but what you will get is a show full of head‑turners and travel‑shy Malaysian aircraft, making a trip to the beautiful island of Langkawi well worth the effort.
