Tawazun Precision Industries, TPI, a UAE-based subsidiary of the Emirates Defence Industries Company, and Finmeccanica-Alenia Aermacchi, the Italian aerospace company, have signed a supply agreement to cooperate on civil aero-structural components.
The agreement envisages the supply of four aluminum structural parts of the ATR-72 aircraft. It represents the first step for a long-term partnership between the two companies in the field of manufacturing aero-structural components. Recently, TPI has successfully delivered to Alenia Aermacchi the first series of components manufactured in the UAE.
The collaboration represents a significant step for the UAE’s aerospace industry and demonstrates TPI’s competence to introduce new certified metallic components manufacturing.
Matar Al Romaithi, the Chief Officer, Industrial Development Unit of the Tawazun Economic Council, said, “This is another success story for the UAE aerospace industry. We are pleased with the partnership between TPI and Finmeccanica-Alenia Aermacchi. This signifies that we are at the forefront, as the new components will be produced for the first time within the Gulf Region.”
The new agreement is a product of implementing the Tawazun Economic Programme, which is intended to promote partnerships and joint ventures between UAE companies and international contractors with the aim of establishing a home-grown defence manufacturing sector.
“Along with the work package agreement,” said a Finmeccanica-Alenia Aermacchi spokesman, “We agreed to establish an industrial collaboration programme, which is aimed to support TPI to develop relevant technical capabilities. The programme will also include an educational and practical project for junior Emirati engineers”.
The agreement is part of the Offset programme which Finmeccanica-Alenia Aermacchi is carrying out in conjunction with the Al Fursan Programme, the UAE Aerobatic Team that debuted at the 2011 Dubai Air Show with the Alenia Aermacchi MB-339.
