Saudia Group is ramping up MRO capabilities as Saudi Arabia looks to grow its aviation industry under its Vision 2030 strategy. Over the last month, flag carrier Saudia and the group’s MRO arm, Saudia Technic, have signed several agreements related to establishing new repair capabilities.
Last week, Saudia signed a contract with Collins Aerospace to upgrade its fleet interiors. In addition to choosing new business- and economy-class seats for its upcoming Boeing 787 fleet, the airline also is planning a seat retrofit program for its Airbus A330s and Boeing 777s. Although the airline has not shared details about how many seats will be retrofitted in its current fleet, it said in a statement that business-class cabins across its entire widebody fleet will consist of all private suites. Saudia plans to begin the retrofit program in late 2025 and finish upgrades in late 2027.
As part of its seating upgrade project, Saudia plans to establish localized repair capabilities and select spares manufacturing capabilities with Saudia Technic. The airline said in a statement that the new capabilities will “streamline spares support, deploy localized product support and implement comprehensive solutions to optimize fleet performance and operational efficiency.”
Last week during HAI Heli-Expo, Saudia Technic also signed a partnership with United Rotorcraft to launch what it says will be Saudi Arabia’s “most expansive helicopter MRO capability.” The agreement follows one signed last November at the Dubai Airshow with Airbus Helicopters to establish an authorized service center in Saudi Arabia. According to Saudia Technic, the new capability is a response to the country’s surge in rotorcraft usage and part of its work to develop MRO infrastructure in Jeddah.
Earlier in February at the World Defense Show in Riyadh, Saudia Technic signed a memorandum of understanding with Embraer Services and Support to collaborate on maintenance and training capabilities. The cooperation will focus on the E2 jets family and executive aviation maintenance.
At the World Defense Show it also unveiled a new maintenance offering aimed at providing mobile maintenance services for helicopters, military aircraft and advanced air mobility vehicles. The ‘Mobile MRO Base’ is a fully equipped mobile trailer featuring tools, maintenance equipment and spare parts for on-site repairs and maintenance. The Mobile MRO Base also features workstations and drone technology for visually inspecting inaccessible areas.
According to Saudia Technic, the Mobile MRO base is the first offering of its kind in the Middle East and North Africa Region. In a statement, the MRO provider said the new offering is aimed at ensuring “prompt assistance during emergencies and sudden maintenance needs, reducing downtime and maintaining aircraft operational efficiency.”
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