Concept art from Boeing showing the F-15EX in flight. (Boeing)
BEIRUT — US defense giant Boeing will be exhibiting plenty of hardware at this week’s Dubai Airshow. But the offering Boeing is bringing to the region that may matter the most to its bottom line is less shiny: its Performance Based Logistics (PBL) pitch for localizing defense production and MRO efforts.
“Boeing customers around the world are moving to Performance Based Logistics solutions because PBL has the potential to lower flying hour costs, increase aircraft availability, and maximize the use of local industry,” Rick Lemaster, Vice President of International Business Development in the Middle East, North Africa, and Turkey at Boeing Defense, Space & Security responded to written questions from Breaking Defense.
Lemaster said that there are already sustainment contracts in place in a number of Gulf countries, across different platforms.
“Our government partners in the region see the value of leveraging industry to help offset workforce shortages and shipping costs by going to either a component or “tip to tail” PBL, relying on industry to shoulder more of the responsibility. This approach allows the armed forces to focus on their mission,” he added.
Lemaster highlighted that by establishing “PBLs in-country and enabling local industry to invest in tooling, facilities, and people to accomplish flight critical work we can also contribute to building local capacity and capabilities, supporting the objectives of national initiatives to grow advanced local industries, create skilled jobs and develop in-country value.”
Boeing Equipment On Display At Dubai
At Dubai, Boeing Defense will showcase a number of aircraft at static display area at the show. These include the F-15 EX, T-7A Advanced Pilot Training System, CH-47F Chinook advanced multi-mission helicopter, AH-64 Apache attack helicopter, KC-46A aerial refueling tanker, P-8 maritime patrol aircraft, parts of the autonomous systems portfolio (including the Integrator ER and ScanEagle), and sustainment and training solutions.
“One of our standout features at the show is the T-7A immersive simulator. The T-7A has been generating international interest, with several countries viewing it as a promising solution to modernize their trainer aircraft fleets,” Lemaster said.
The company is particularly pushing the F-15EX design, given the older F-15s are operated by both Qatar and Saudi Arabia.
Boeing is also looking to build on the announcement at IDEX 2023 where its subsidiary Insitu signed an agreement with UAE’s Tawazun Council to open a center of excellence in the UAE.
“Insitu’s Center of Excellence (CoE) in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is a landmark development, and we are proud to establish this facility in partnership with Tawazun Council. It is poised to play a pivotal role in supporting the UAE Armed Forces. The CoE will offer services like aircraft engine overhauls, repairs, and operator training, enhancing the operational performance and readiness of the UAE Armed Forces” Lemaster said.
He added that the center is scheduled to become operational by the summer of 2024.
Lemaster did not disclose regional revenues. But when asked about Boeing’s vision for the future of aerospace in the Middle East he summarized it in three words: digital, sustainable and transformative.
“We’re working closely with government, academia and other partners on programs for education, workforce training, local manufacturing and R&D, among others. Our greatest focus, across the whole company, is on creating a more sustainable future for the aerospace sector, and we have multiple collaborations in this area,” Lemaster said.
