DUBAI, Dec 7: The world’s largest civilian and military aviation companies are vying for a slice of the lucrative regional market at the Dubai air show, which opened here Sunday.

The competition to supply the booming regional airlines with the latest and fastest jumbo jets and the oil-rich Gulf governments with state-of-the-art fighter planes and air defence systems has pitted the United States against the Europeans.

About 550 exhibitors from 36 countries are taking part in the 8th International Aerospace Exhibition, which runs until December 11.

Organisers say the United States has the biggest presence at the show with 80 private companies and a US Department of Defence delegation led by General Michael “Buzz” Moseley, vice chief of staff of the US Air Force.

Eager and freshly-shaved US pilots were standing “Top Gun” style in front of the pride of the US Air Force: Lockheed Martin’s F-16 Fighting Falcon, the F-14 Tomcat and Boeing’s AH-64D Apache Longbow combat helicopter.

Major David Halla, who flew the F-16 to the show, said he is training UAE pilots at the local Al-Dhafra base following the Emirati government’s purchase of 80 jets for about three billion dollars.

But the major US presence did not seem to phase the Europeans. They were confident of winning big business by nurturing long-term relationships combined with eagerness by the regional governments to diversify military ties following the unpopular US-led spring invasion of Iraq.

“The US military-industrial-diplomatic machine is big, but Europeans have their word to say in the area,” said Olivier Lambert, executive vice president of the Franco-German Eurocopter.

He admitted that European defence contractors suffered in the region in the aftermath of the 1990 invasion of Kuwait by Iraq, but said prospects were looking up again given the changing strategic situation in the region.

The March-launched war in Iraq, solidly backed by Britain and Spain, was strongly opposed by France, Germany and Russia.—AFP