MOSCOW, August 18 (RIA Novosti) - Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin will visit on Tuesday the MAKS-2009 air show near Moscow and attend a meeting on the development of Russia's aircraft industry.
Over 711 companies, including 465 Russian firms, will participate in the biennial MAKS air show outside Moscow on August 18-23.
"The prime minister will watch the performance of the Russian and foreign aerobatics teams and visit the booths of leading aircraft manufacturers," the government press service said.
The meeting with aircraft industry officials will focus on the restructuring of the sphere, expansion of the range of models and exports of Russian-made aircraft.
According to the government sources, the financing of the aircraft industry has increased twenty-fold in the past five years. Despite the current economic crisis, the government allocated about 80 billion rubles ($2.5 billion) in 2009 for the development of the industry.
MAKS bills itself as "a demonstration of the advantages and development trends of Russian science and industry in such high-tech areas as aviation, space, missile engineering."
Overall, 1,449 exhibits will be on display, including 470 full-scale models.
The organizers said more than 500,000 people are expected to visit the MAKS-2009 air show.
