Airshow at MAKS in 2025 has been officially called off, as confirmed by Chemezov
The International Aviation and Space Salon (MAKS), Russia's largest airshow, has been postponed yet again, this time to 2026. The decision was announced by Sergei Chemezov, CEO of Rostec, the event's main organiser.
The 16th edition of MAKS, initially planned for July 2023, was first postponed to 2024 due to security concerns. These concerns were reported by Kommersant and later confirmed by a source close to Rostec, who stated that strengthening security measures could interfere with the flight program and not be meaningful.
In May 2024, the airshow was postponed again to 2025. However, in June 2025, Russian authorities officially confirmed the further postponement to 2026. The source for this information is Interfax, who earlier reported that the MAKS airshow in 2025 would not take place.
The ongoing full-scale war between Russia and Ukraine has been a significant factor in the postponements. According to sources, the postponement of the 2023 airshow was due to security concerns, while the postponement in 2024 was due to the inadvisability of diverting resources from the Russian Armed Forces' main tasks.
The MAKS airshow, held every two years at the aerodrome of the M.M. Gromov Flight Research Institute in Zhukovsky, Moscow region, has been a major event in the aviation industry since its first edition in 1993. The flagship projects of the civil aviation industry - the MC-21 and SJ-100 aircraft - are not expected until 2026.
Despite the postponements, the airshow organisers, AO "Aviasalon", have not provided reasons for the decisions. However, the head of one of the organisers has confirmed the postponement.
The next MAKS airshow is eagerly anticipated by the aviation community, and spectators are hopeful that the event will proceed smoothly in 2026, subject to the resolution of the ongoing security concerns.
[1] Source: https://www.kommersant.ru/doc/4510186
In light of the ongoing postponements, the 16th edition of MAKS might serve as a platform for introducing new finance and investment opportunities within the aerospace industry, considering the anticipated debut of flagship projects like the MC-21 and SJ-100 in 2026. Given that the airshow was first postponed due to security concerns and later due to resource allocation for the Russian Armed Forces, it remains crucial for the organisers to address these issues to ensure a successful and safe event in the new year.
