Dubai Airshow 2021, the world’s biggest aviation event since the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic, closed on Thursday with more than Dh286.5 billion (US$78 billion) worth of commercial and defense contracts signed during the five days of the show.
The pre-pandemic edition of the airshow held in 2019 had recorded contracts to the tune of Dh183.6 billion (US$50.3 billion).
Held at Al Maktoum International Airport at Dubai World Central from November 14 to 18, Dubai Airshow 2021, the biggest-ever, attracted 1,200 exhibitors with 371 new companies. As many as 148 countries took part in the event, and 13 of them for the first time, fortifying the event’s status as a global event. The show also featured more than 160 of the world’s most advanced aircraft on the ground and in the air.
European aerospace giant Airbus dominated the show with 408 aircraft orders - 269 firm and 139 commitments.
Other major deals announced at the show include:
- Indigo Partners, the owner of low-cost carrier Wizz Air and Mexico’s Volaris, announced an order for 255 A321neo aircraft. The order is valued at $33 billion, according to the latest list price published by Airbus.
- India’s newest airline Akasa Air placed a near $9 billion order with Boeing for 72 737 MAX aircraft to build its fleet. The order includes two variants from the 737 MAX family - the 737-8 and the high-capacity 737-8-200.
- Kuwait’s Jazeera Airways placed an order for 20 Airbus A320neos and 8 A321neos - the deal is valued at roughly $3.3 billion at list prices.
- Boeing and Air Tanzania struck a deal for a 787-8 Dreamliner, a 767-300 Freighter and two 737 MAX jets. The order is valued at more than $726 million at list price.
- UAE’s Ministry of Defense awarded contracts worth Dh22 billion (US$ 6 billion) in the first four days of the event.
- GAL, a subsidiary of Abu Dhabi’s EDGE, was awarded a Dh11 billion (3 billion) performance-based logistics (PBL) contract to supply the UAE Air Force and Air Defense (AFAD) with maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO), and specialized support services.
- Halcon, another EDGE subsidiary, won a Dh3.2 billion (US$876.7 million) contract from UAE Armed Forces for its ‘Thunder’ and ‘Desert Sting’ range of precision guided munitions.
- A contract worth Dh677 million (US$185.5 million) was signed with the Emirati International Technical Systems Trading for the purchase of aviation systems and equipment for the UAE Air Force and Air Defense.
- US-based Alliant Techsystems Operations will purchase supplements of ammunitions for the Air Force and Air Defense Command at a value of Dh175 million (US$ 47.9 million)
- The Pakistani Global Industrial & Defense Solutions is to purchase ammunition for the j Indigo Partners, the owner of low-cost carrier Wizz Air and Mexico’s Volaris, announced an order for 255 A321neo aircraft. The order is valued at $33 billion, according to the latest list price published by Airbus.
US-based Alliant Techsystems Operations will purchase supplements of ammunitions for the Air Force and Air Defense Command at a value of Dh175 million (US$ 47.9 million)
The Pakistani Global Industrial & Defense Solutions is to purchase ammunition for the joint air command at a value of Dh143 million (US$ 39.1 million)