Russia will display its new S-400 air defence missile system for the first time at the 8th Moscow Aviation and Space Salon (MAKS) on August 21-26, a spokesman for the event said.

“We are planning to display the S-400 air defence missile system as a stationary exhibit for both experts and regular visitors,” the told Russian news agencies.

About 540 Russian companies and 200 foreign firms from more than 30 countries are expected to participate in the MAKS aviation exhibition, which is held every two years, at Zhukovsky, a military airbase.

Russia successfully test-fired S-400 air defence missile (NATO codename SA-21 Growler) on July 12 at the Kapustin Yar firing range in Astrakhan Region. It later deployed a regiment equipped with the new system to protect the airspace around the Russian capital.

In an attemtpt to put the MAKS-2007 on a par with the model of leading international air show Le Bourget, in France, President Vladimir Putin will inaugurate the event on Tuesday.

“This is a very important event,” Russian Federal Industry Agency head Boris Alyoshin told reporters.