Boeing seeks more regional co-operation

Since creating its Integrated Defense Systems group in 2002, Boeing (USA Pavilion) has seen it grow to a thriving unit that generated revenues of $32.4bn last year. Giving an overview of the group’s activity in the Middle East, Jeff Johnson, VP Middle East Business Development, noted the success of the partnership in Saudi Arabia utilising Alsalam’s infrastructure to set up a subsidiary incorporated in the Kingdom.

This will facilitate low-cost services to Boeing and other aviation product manufacturers, but the subsidiary will also market and provide logistics support, engineering, training, maintenance, manufacturing, modifications, upgrades, assembly, repair and supply chain programmes.

The new subsidiary will provide Alsalam with better access to Boeing expertise and OEM data. Encouraged by the progress of its presence in Saudi Arabia, Johnson confirmed that Boeing is looking for further opportunities to partner with local industry to collaborate on military maintenance, upgrade and training. The company perceives Kuwait and the UAE to offer the prospect of Alsalam-like co-operation. But although C-130 upgrades may be on the wish-list of air forces in this region, Johnson also reports that some countries are evaluating the giant C-17 for tactical as well as strategic airlift roles.