Tawazun Council, in cooperation with Boeing and Insitu, delivers repair services and training to UAE personnel while providing jobs to grow the local economy
Tawazun Council and Boeing signed an agreement to open a Center of Excellence for unmanned systems at Tawazun Industrial Park (TIP) to support the UAE Armed Forces.
The agreement was signed at Tawazun Chalet in IDEX 2023 and NAVDEX 2023 by Abdulla Saif Al Awani, Chief Economic Program Officer at Tawazun Council, Lynn Fox, Insitu’s president and chief executive officer, and Mike Woodward, vice president, International Strategic Partnerships, Boeing Defense, Space & Security.
The facility will perform aircraft engine overhauls, repairs, and serve as a training facility for operators in the region, and be owned and operated by Boeing wholly-owned subsidiary, Insitu. The Center will employ the skilled Emirati workforce to develop advanced capabilities to enhance the UAE Armed Forces operational performance.
“The launch of this facility is yet another achievement that we are proud to have played a role in making. The Tawazun Economic Program is dedicated to supporting a principal goal of the UAE, which is to establish a core of advanced skills in the sector by collaborating with well-known international military corporations like Boeing and important players in the national industry,” said Abdulla Al Awani.
The new facility solidifies our position as an industry enabler and brings attention to our ongoing efforts to offer cutting-edge innovations and expert technical know-how to the market. It also underlines our efforts to further enhance export potential through smart long-term partnerships, he added.
Boeing invests in the UAE to grow the local aerospace sector, creating jobs and drivingInn
“Boeing and Insitu are committed to enhancing readiness and reducing costs for the UAE Armed Forces through localized maintenance, training and support,” said Lynn Fox, Insitu’s president and chief executive officer. “The opening of this facility is a sign of Insitu’’ commitment to both the United Arab Emirates as a nation and the UAE Armed Forces. Insitu values our great relationship with the Tawazun Economic Council.”
About the Tawazun – Boeing strategic partnership
Tawazun Economic Council (Tawazun) and Boeing [NYSE: BA] have a long-term strategic partnership to support UAE’s growing aerospace industry and leadership excellence globally. The newly announced collaboration of a Center of Excellence for unmanned systems at Tawazun Industrial Park supporting the UAE Armed Forces, is the most recent example of their ongoing collaboration designed to advance regional aerospace excellence.
Boeing’s partnership with the Tawazun Economic Council has enabled key industrial initiatives since 2013. They include:
- Edge Precision Industries (EPI)
EPI, an Edge Group subsidiary, produces complex metallic machined parts for Boeing aircraft. In 2019, Tawazun, Boeing and EPI celebrated the opening of EPI’s all-new aerospace surface treatment facility in Abu Dhabi, expanding the UAE’s industrial base by enabling advanced materials manufacturing.
- STRATA Manufacturing (STATA)
- In 2012, Boeing and Mubadala, supported by Tawazun, announced a 10-year direct contract for Strata Manufacturing — Mubadala’s advanced composite aerostructures facility in Al Ain — to produce ribs for the empennage of the 777 aircraft and vertical fin ribs for the 787.
- In 2016, the companies announced that STRATA would expand its work statement for Boeing as a supplier of the 787 vertical fin.
- In December 2020, following the UAE’s 49th National Day, Strata successfully delivered its first 787 vertical fin shipset to Boeing.
- In less than a decade, Strata has gone from being a concept on paper to a Tier One composite supplier to Boeing.
- Tawazun also helped Boeing support Strata’s joint venture with Solvay, which will manufacture carbon fiber raw material for Boeing platforms.
- Strata now employs more than 500 employees. More than half of these employees are UAE nationals and of the local employees, 86% are female
- Aerospace Xelerated
- Recently, Aerospace Xelerated, a funded, 3-month accelerator program for startups led by Boeing and run in partnership with Tawazun Council, launched its fourth cohort inviting over 158 applications from around the world to solve key challenges for the aerospace sector.
- Since launching in 2019, startups involved in the three previous Aerospace Xelerated cohorts have gone on to raise over £100M in additional funding and create over 150 jobs globally. The 11 startups working on Digital Services and Solutions joining cohort four cover the programme’s key focuses: Flight & Passenger Journey Optimization; Supply Chain Intelligence; Next Generation Workforce; and Operational Efficiency.
