Story ID: 458
The Singapore Debutante's Ball 
By: James Wynbrandt
Caption: A spectrum of military, civil and business aircraft on static display are making their first Singapore Airshow appearances
Word Count: 180
It’s a debutante coming out ball for a spectrum of aircraft on static display making their Singapore Airshow debuts this year—a few of them appearing in the region for the first time. Military aircraft in premiere showings are the E-7A Wedgetail Airborne Early Warning Aircraft from the Royal Australian Air Force, sporting its distinctive large fin just forward of the empennage; the Global Hawk RQ-4B UAS surveillance platform from the U.S. Air Force; and the F-35B Lightning II operated by the U.S. Marine Corps. From the civil aviation world, Airbus is displaying its newly certified A350-1000 long-range airliner, and Embraer is showcasing a prototype of its E-190 E2 second-generation jet. In the business aircraft category the HondaJet, with its patented over-the-wing engine mounts (OTWEM) is on display in Singapore for the first time, plus a trio of aircraft are making regional debuts at the airshow: Gulfstream’s G500 and G600, both on track for entry into service this year; and Cessna’s soon-to-be-flagship Citation Longitude, on the cusp of certification.