The Boeing Company [NYSE: BA] today underscored the Middle East’s current and future growth potential for both the commercial aviation and defense sectors. Boeing intends to continue building its presence in the Middle East with a focus on partnerships with regional entities.
Speaking on the eve of the Dubai Airshow, Jeffrey Johnson, president of Boeing Middle East said: “Our legacy in the Middle East goes back more than 65 years, and throughout that time we have earned the trust of our partners and customers here through meaningful collaboration, contributions to the community, and providing the right services at the right time.
“We remain committed to further strengthening our presence and partnerships with governments, enterprises and customers to develop and grow regional aerospace infrastructure and capabilities.”
The world’s most advanced passenger jet, the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, and the Bell Boeing V-22 Osprey, a tiltrotor military transport aircraft, will make their Middle East air show debuts amid a range of exciting products and services Boeing is showcasing at the week-long air show.
Boeing works with a wide range of customers and partners in the Middle East, including the region’s leading airlines, national defense forces, communications enterprises and academic institutions. It maintains offices in Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Doha and Riyadh and has a pool of highly qualified and dedicated personnel based in the region to support its customers.
Saudi Arabia is a significant market for Boeing, which counts Saudi Arabian Airlines and the Royal Saudi Air Force as longstanding customers. Boeing also holds the majority stake in Alsalam Aircraft Company, which performs heavy maintenance and modification on civil and military aircraft at its facilities in Riyadh.
“The value Boeing places on local partnerships is reflected in the number of successful ventures we have established over the years in Saudi Arabia and other parts of the region,” said Ahmed Jazzar, president, Boeing Saudi Arabia. “Our relationship priorities with the Kingdom are in line with the King’s vision for future and ongoing development for Saudi Arabia.”
Boeing Defense Space & Security (BDS), is seeking to expand its regional footprint. Existing customers who already operate a wide range of Boeing systems are looking to further upgrade and expand their fighter, rotorcraft, airlift and battle-management capabilities.
“We have seen a tremendous amount of interest in our defense solutions from governments across the Middle East as plans for upgrading defense capabilities move forward,” said Paul Oliver, BDS Middle East and Africa regional vice president, International Business Development. “We are constantly exploring opportunities to increase our customer base in the Middle East.”
Boeing Commercial Airplanes (BCA) counts the region’s leading airlines as some of its key customers. Significantly, the Boeing 777 is the airplane of choice for these airlines’ long-haul fleets, including Qatar Airways, Etihad Airways and Emirates Airline, which holds the unique distinction of being the only airline in the world to operate every variant of the 777 airplane. Boeing also holds a backlog of 131 Dreamliners on order from Gulf Air, Saudi Arabian Airlines, Etihad Airways, Qatar Airways and Royal Jordanian.
“The 787 Dreamliner represents the future of commercial aviation with its unparalleled passenger experience and operating economics and we are looking forward to showcasing it at the Dubai Airshow,” said Martin Bentrott, BCA vice president for Sales for the Middle East, Central Asia and Russia. “Our products have served as the backbone of the region’s aviation industry from the Boeing 707 in the 1960s to the Boeing 777 today. We are confident our newest products, such as the 787, the 747-8 and 737MAX, will continue to help us build on our successes in the region.”
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Source: Boeing
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