At last week’s Dubai Airshow, Mubadala Aerospace, Communications Technology and Defense Services (ACTDS) and Rolls-Royce plc announced that they have entered into a Strategic Framework Agreement that will establish the Emirate of Abu Dhabi as a key member of Rolls-Royce’s global network for maintenance and manufacturing activities.

As part of the agreement, Rolls-Royce is supporting Mubadala (through one of its affiliates) to become established as an approved TrentXWB engine MRO provider, as part of its global Engine MRO network and the first such facility in the Middle East region. With the Middle East region earmarked to have one of the highest concentrations of Trent XWB engines in the world in the coming decade, the MRO center will represent an important element of support in the region.

Rolls-Royce have also made a commitment to Mubadala’s future engine manufacturing plans, by sourcing up to US$500 million of engine components over a ten year period from Mubadala, once its engine component manufacturing capabilities have been established. To further support Mubadala’s goal to become a tier 1 supplier to the engine manufacturers, Rolls-Royce has also committed to helping establish, and become a founding member of the first advanced manufacturing research center in the region.

Homaid Al Shemmari, Executive Director of Mubadala ACTDS, said, “It is vital that we continue to develop repair capabilities in partnership with leading engine OEMs, capturing the emerging opportunity in servicing next generation aero-engines, and so we are pleased to be expanding our relationship with Rolls-Royce. The engine component manufacturing agreements demonstrate Abu Dhabi’s ambitions to become a key global aerospace supplier.”

“We are delighted to work with Mubadala to develop Abu Dhabi as a key aerospace hub for the support of the Trent XWB engine maintenance, overhaul, repair, and for component manufacturing. This is an exciting opportunity that will significantly extend both our aerospace supply chain and aero engine support capabilities in the region,” said Tony Wood, President, Aerospace, Rolls-Royce.