Boeing Growth Plans in Middle East Built on 70 Years of Partnership
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, Nov. 11, 2015 – Boeing [NYSE:BA] expanded its growth plans with the Middle East’s aerospace industry at the 2015 Dubai Airshow with strong customer and partnership announcements.
“The 2015 Dubai Airshow has been very positive for Boeing as we strengthened alliances with partners, secured key commercial airplane orders and met with senior government leaders and customers,” said Charlie Miller, vice president, Boeing International Corporate Communications. “This show has been especially important to us as it coincides with our Centennial celebrations. The agreements we announced help to bolster a growth trajectory for our second century.”
Boeing reinforced its commitment to the United Arab Emirates with a Memorandum of Agreement with Dubai South that set out the company’s plan to establish its Middle East headquarters in the city’s Aviation District in 2017.
Additionally, Boeing and Tawazun Precision Industries (TPI), a subsidiary of Emirates Defense Industries Company (EDIC), signed a significant contract to manufacture complex metallic machined parts for tactical aircraft at TPI’s new treatment facility currently under construction in Abu Dhabi.
Boeing also announced a joint venture with Tata Advanced Systems to manufacture aerostructures and collaborate on integrated systems development opportunities in India. A manufacturing center of excellence will initially produce aerostructures for the AH-64 Apache helicopter and compete for additional manufacturing work packages across Boeing platforms, both commercial and defense.
Key commercial customer announcements at the show were led by Jet Airways with an order for 75 737 MAX 8s, the largest order in Jet Airways’ history. Etihad Airways also exercised options for two Boeing 777 freighters, part of the airline’s $67 billion mixed fleet order for 199 aircraft announced in 2013.
The 2011 Dubai Airshow saw the Middle East debut of the 787 Dreamliner. This year at the show, Qatar Airways displayed the airline’s recently delivered 25th 787. The airline currently has the largest 787 fleet in the Middle East region.
Also on display was a classic 1942 Boeing Stearman. It belongs to British female aviator Tracey Curtis-Taylor, who is replicating the historic first solo flight by a female pilot from the U.K. to Australia flying 13,000 miles across 23 countries. Boeing is sponsoring the adventure as part of its centennial celebrations.
Other Boeing products on display included a flydubai 737-800 featuring the Boeing Sky Interior, an MV-22 Osprey, a USN P-8 Poseidon, a UAE CH-47F Chinook, a UAE AH-64 Apache, an F-15E Strike Eagle and a Maritime Surveillance Aircraft (MSA).
At Dubai South headquarters, Boeing collaborated with the General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), Emirates and Etihad Airways to deliver a three-day student workshop that ran in parallel to the air show with the aim of attracting UAE youth to the industry.
“We all have an opportunity to shape the future, which is why Boeing invests in high-quality, engaging education programs,” said Bernard Dunn, president, Boeing Middle East, North Africa & Turkey. “We hope this program and the others Boeing is engaged in will make learning fun in new and more interactive ways.”
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Contacts:
Dana Salloum
Boeing International – Middle East
Tel: +971 50 228 9791
Scott Day
Boeing Defense, Space & Security
Tel: +1 703 403 3083
Saffana Michael
Boeing Commercial Airplanes
Tel: + 971 5 04590651
Bader Al Bedair
Boeing International – Saudi Arabia
Tel: +966 55 422 1997