Dubai-based investment company Markab Capital has signed a strategic partnership agreement with Italy’s SuperJet International to establish a plant for manufacturing civilian aircraft in the United Arab Emirates. This is reported by the Gulf News.
The publication does not specify the type of the aircraft which is planned to be built in the UAE, but taking into account the fact that the United Aircraft Corporation through its subsidiaries owns a 90 percent stake in the joint venture with the Italian Leonardo-Finmeccanica (former Alenia Aermacchi) SuperJet International, it will be the Russian Sukhoi Superjet 100 in the basic version. The UAC’s recent proposal to localize and produce the Russian regional jet in India adds credibility to these assumptions.
The plant, scheduled for completion in 2025, is the first of its kind in the Arab world to assemble and produce civilian aircraft, Abdullah Al Qubaisi, chairman and CEO of Markab Capital Company, commented on the signing. Where exactly the new air plant will be built is not reported.
According to him, the volume of investments in the new plant is $180 million, and the production capacity of the first stage will be from 10 to 15 aircraft per year. Increasing the production capacity will be considered in the future based on requests for aircraft.
Al-Qubaisi said the UAE has excelled in the production of aircraft components and is entering a new era in aircraft construction, making the Emirates a leader in the Middle East and North Africa region and competing in the international aircraft market in the near future.
The UAE is home to two aircraft component centers, Strata and Sanad. Strata, based in Al Ain, manufactures aircraft components and has contracts with Boeing, Airbus, Leonardo in Italy and Switzerland’s Pilatus Aircraft.
Sanad was formed in 2019 after state-owned holding company Mubadala merged its three divisions, Sanad Aerotech, Sanad Powertech and Sanad Capital. The company provides financing, leasing and maintenance services to the global aerospace, energy and industrial sectors.
Established in July 2007 and based in Venice, SuperJet International is responsible for the marketing, sales, training and delivery of the Superjet 100 aircraft in the European and American markets as well as in Oceania, Africa and Japan. The company provides training and after-sales support for the Russian aircraft outside Russia, and participates in the design and development of the Sukhoi Business Jet and its cargo variant.
