In pictures: Singapore Air Show kicks off amid coronavirus clampdown

A model of an Airbus SE Maveric blended-wing body aircraft stands on display at the Singapore Air Show. The event has begun, with warning to the thousands attending to avoid handshakes and other close contact due to the virus outbreak that has sickened tens of thousands of people, several dozen of them in this southeast Asian city state.

Visitors look at the Rolls Royce Trent XWB engine displayed at the event. The biennial Singapore Airshow attracts hundreds of global aerospace firms and airlines to the financial hub, where they negotiate multi-million-dollar deals and watch spectacular aerial displays by fighter jets.

A view of an empty booth at the Singapore Airshow. There are some 930 exhibiting companies and more than 40,000 trade attendees from more than 45 countries, down from the last edition of the show in 2018 when over 54,000 trade participants and more than 1,000 companies took part.

The cockpit interior of an Embraer SA 195-E2 aircraft is displayed at the event. Dozens of exhibitors and most Chinese participants cancelled due to travel restrictions and concerns about the new coronavirus, which has sickened 45 people so far in Singapore, and the city-state last week raised its health alert level to the same as during the deadly 2002-2003 SARS outbreak.

Visitors gather around the Rafael booth. The number of exhibitors deciding to skip the show has now climbed to over 70. Withdrawals include US aerospace giant Lockheed Martin, which makes warplanes and defence equipment used by militaries around the world, Canada's Bombardier and plane maker De Havilland.

The interior of a mock-up Dassault Aviation SA Falcon 6X private jet is displayed at the show. At least 10 Chinese companies have also pulled out after Singapore imposed a ban on people travelling from China in a bid to stem the spread of the virus, while a major aviation conference on the eve of the air show was axed.

A monitor displays a thermographic image of attendees passing through a screening point.

An attendee wearing a protective mask walks past a Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) A400M military transport aircraft, manufactured by Airbus SE.

Model displays of Airbus planes are seen at the Airshow.

Dr Ng Eng Hen, Minster for Defence of Singapore (left) and Mr Khaw Boon Wan, Co-ordinating Minister for Infrastructure and Minster for Transport cuts the ribbon during the ribbon cutting ceremony for the Singapore Airshow 2020.

People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) Ba Yi aerobatics team perform an aerial display.

A US Pacific Air Force F-22 Raptor performs an aerial display.

Members of the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) wearing protective masks stand next to a RMAF Sukhoi SU-30MKM jet on display.

Spectators wearing masks in precaution of the coronavirus outbreak watch an aerial display.

Military and commercial aircraft stand on display during the Singapore Airshow at the Changi Exhibition Centre in Singapore.

Visitors walk past the Boeing Booth during the opening trade day of the Singapore Airshow.

CEO of PNG Air, Paul Abbot (L), poses with ATR CEO Stefano Bortoli during a signing ceremony for three ATR 42-600s aircraft.

A member of the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) wearing a protective mask uncovers a RMAF Sukhoi SU-30MKM jet.

The interior of a mock-up Dassault Aviation SA Falcon 6X private jet is displayed during the Singapore Airshow.

People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) Ba Yi aerobatics team perform an aerial display.

A US Air Force MQ-9 Reaper unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) drone, manufactured by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc, stands on display.

Trade visitors are seen at the Airbus Booth during the opening trade day of the Singapore Airshow 2020.

Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) AH64 Apache Longbow aircrafts perform an aerial display.