Industry alignment and partnerships key to strengthening UAE as a global MRO hub
Stronger industry alignment, partnerships and long-term investment could help the UAE strengthen its position as a global aviation maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) hub, according to a new industry white paper.
Developed by Aviation Business Middle East, the white paper, titled Advancing Strategic Alignment Across the UAE MRO Ecosystem, was unveiled in Dubai on September 23. It brings together perspectives from aviation companies and examines how greater collaboration could help the UAE build on its existing MRO capabilities.
UAE already has a strong MRO foundation
The report notes that the UAE does not need to build an MRO sector from the ground up. Significant infrastructure, technical expertise and investment are already established across the country.
The research instead focuses on how the industry can strengthen connections between complementary capabilities and position the UAE to capture a greater share of increasingly complex and higher-value MRO work.
The study includes perspectives from Emirates Engineering, Sanad, GE Aerospace, Boeing, Airbus, AMMROC and ExecuJet, as well as international lessons from established MRO markets.
Global MRO demand expected to grow
According to Oliver Wyman, global MRO spending is forecast to approach $193 billion by the end of the decade. The expected growth is being driven by factors including ageing aircraft fleets, aircraft delivery delays, engine durability challenges and limited maintenance shop capacity.
While engine maintenance remains an important part of the market, the white paper takes a broader view of the UAE's MRO ecosystem. It examines opportunities spanning engine services, airframe maintenance, component repair, specialist engineering and the wider aviation aftermarket.
Collaboration seen as key to future growth
Aziz Koleilat, President and CEO of METCIS at GE Aerospace, said the UAE has developed significant specialist aviation expertise over several decades.
“GE Aerospace has worked alongside the UAE's aviation industry for decades, and what stands out is the depth of specialist expertise already established,” he said.
Koleilat added that closer alignment between operators, original equipment manufacturers and MRO providers, supported by common technical standards and long-term investment, could strengthen the region's overall capabilities.
Ajinkya Gurav, Editor at Aviation Business Middle East, said the UAE already benefits from technical expertise, OEM relationships and proximity to some of the world's busiest aircraft fleets.
He said closer alignment across these capabilities could help the country's MRO sector capture a larger share of global demand.
Three scenarios through 2035
The white paper models three potential development trajectories for the UAE's MRO sector through to 2035. The scenarios examine how different levels of industry alignment and capability development could influence the sector's evolution.
The research argues that the UAE's next phase should focus on development rather than building an industry from scratch. Strong technical standards, supportive policy and regulatory frameworks, and greater collaboration between industry participants could help create a more integrated national MRO ecosystem.
The study ultimately highlights partnerships and coordination across the aviation value chain as potential drivers of the UAE's next stage of MRO development.
