(7 Feb 2018) LEAD IN:
The United States is pitching arms sales at Singapore airshow, the biggest event of its kind in Asia.
Over 170 American companies are exhibiting at bi-annual event, using close to a third of exhibition space.

STORY-LINE:
Lift-off at Singapore Airshow.
Over 170 American companies are exhibiting here at bi-annual event, using close to a third of exhibition space, according to the U.S. Embassy.
The show features over a thousand participating companies from 48 countries.
Among U.S. weaponry on display, there are F-16C fighter jets, the U.S. Navy's P-8 Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft and an F/A-18 Super Hornet, a fighter aircraft made by Boeing.
Two F-35B fighter jets, belonging to the U.S. Marine Corps and made by Lockheed Martin, made their debut at the air show. The jets can take off from a short runway and land vertically.
Steve Over, who leads the international sales team at Lockheed for F-35s, says the U.S., Israel, Japan and South Korea militaries have invested $60 billion USD in the fifth-generation jet.
It has an advanced sensor suite and the ability to sneak up on enemies without being detected.
"He has the skin of stealth, so no-one could see him, and yet he sees everything that's in the battle space," says Over.
"We network these airplanes together, so they communicate with each other at very high bandwidth, much like high bandwidth internet in your home."
The top U.S. diplomat overseeing arms sales says she sees keen interest in American weaponry in Asia, where China's military footprint and political influence are surging.
Ambassador Tina Kaidanow is leading a large U.S. delegation to the Singapore Airshow, the largest in the region, and urging Southeast Asian governments to purchase U.S.-made arms like the F-35 fighter jet.
"We've seen a number of other companies, small and large. And I want to encourage both of them," says Kaidanow.
"But everybody's been great, and the U.S. government is here to support American jobs, but also our regional partners in doing what they need to do for their security."
The Trump administration in December outlined a new security strategy that emphasizes countering China's rise and reinforcing the U.S. presence in the Indo-Pacific region, where Beijing and Washington accused each other of stoking a dangerous military build up.
The Singapore show's commercial dealings period ends Friday (9 February). Then, it will open to the public.
Analysts say large aircraft orders are unlikely, given the current backlogs of leading manufacturers.
Airbus has a backlog of over 2,000 planes in the Asia-Pacific region alone. Chicago-based Boeing Co. has a total backlog of 5,864 planes.
And U.S. companies now face stiff competition from other countries seeking to enter the aerospace industry.
"It's just a fact of life, you know, we understand on the commercial side it's not going to be a duopoly forever," says Ralph Boyce, President of Boeing South East Asia.
"So, we understand, and appreciate, and respect, some of the competition that's out there. They're not gonna be on the immediate future, but there coming eventually, it's inevitable."
A lack of sales probably won't disappoint aviation fans, when doors open to the public on Saturday (10 February).
"We have got more than a thousand participating companies here at the airshow, that's an increase compared to 2016," says Leck Chet Lam, the managing director of Experia Events, which organises the airshow.
Singapore Airshow, claimed to be Asia's largest aerospace and defence exhibit, runs till 11 February.

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