Boeing sponsors first Saudi International Airshow

RIYADH: Boeing Saudi Arabia is a sponsor of the first Saudi International Airshow that will be held at the Thumamah Airport in Riyadh from March 12-14.

 

The sponsorship is an affirmation of Boeing’s long-term relationship with the Kingdom and underscores its partnership with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 with a range of programs and support of the local industry, said Ahmed Jazzar, president of Boeing in Saudi Arabia.

 

“Boeing’s participation in this important and exciting exhibition reflects the fortitude of the Saudi Arabian aerospace industry,” said Jazzar. “We at Boeing are proud to have been a strategic partner with Saudi Arabia for the last 74 years, and we continue this partnership to achieve the goals of the National

Transformation Program and Vision 2030 to develop the Kingdom’s aerospace ecosystem.”

 

Over the years, Boeing has launched a range of economic offset programs such as: Al-Salam Aerospace Industries, Advanced Electronics Company, Aircraft Accessories and Components Company and International Systems Engineering Company. Boeing continues to contribute to the expansion of the technical base of many local institutions in both the civil and military fields.

 

Boeing, Saudia Aerospace Engineering Industries and Al-Salam Aerospace Industries established the Saudi Rotorcraft Support Company, which focuses on providing sustainable employment opportunities for Saudi youth, helping to develop technical skills, and supporting national talent in the vertical aviation industry.

 

In March 2018, in line with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, and following the announcement by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to localize 50 percent of the total military spending by 2030, Saudi Arabian Military Industries (SAMI) signed an agreement with Boeing to develop the local defense industry.

 

In January this year, Boeing signed a memorandum of understanding with the National Industrial Development and Logistics Program (NIDLP), the Saudi Industrial Investments Company (Dussur) and Saudi Arabian Mining Company (Maaden) to support the Saudi aerospace industry under the umbrella of Vision 2030. This MoU will contribute to the support and development of the local aerospace aluminum industry.

 

Boeing enjoys a strong and long-standing relationship with the Kingdom. The partnership began on Feb. 14, 1945, when US President Franklin D. Roosevelt presented a twin-engine DC-3 Dakota airplane to King Abdul Aziz Al-Saud. This event marked both the beginning of Boeing’s relationship with Saudi Arabia and the birth of commercial air travel in the Kingdom. Since then, Boeing has developed and expanded relationships with the Saudi civilian and defense sectors as well as with the private sectors.