Brazilian aerospace company Embraer has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s National Industrial Development Center (NIDC) to discuss a joint strategy to develop the ‘aerospace ecosystem’ in the country. The signing ceremony was held in Riyadh on May 21, 2024, as part of the Future Aviation Forum event being held in the city between May 20 and 22, 2024.
The agreement focuses on the adoption of Embraer aircraft by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (particularly, the E2 regional jet series and the Eve Air Mobility eVTOL aircraft) as well as on potential technological cooperation, supply chain, and human capital development “to achieve excellence in products and services, evaluate industrial capabilities and new business opportunities,” said an Embraer statement.
Embraer has been working with local companies and the Saudi government to adopt its portfolio and to set industrial collaboration in line with the country’s strategic plan, known as ‘Vision 2030’. The partners see the MoU as a further step to “reinforce the collaboration between Embraer and Saudi Arabia’s growing aerospace cluster.”
The Kingdom’s NIDC has been working to facilitate the growth and diversification of the Kingdom’s manufacturing and industrial base through, among other activities, fostering partnerships between local Kingdom entities and international manufacturers to grow and diversify the Saudi economy.
Also, as part of the agreement, Embraer has agreed to conduct further studies into the potential of its E2 regional jet family of aircraft for a new as yet unannounced airline that is being planned for the country.
Away from conventional aircraft, Embraer’s Eve Air Mobility (“Eve”) division also announced at the same event that it had entered into an MOU with Saudia Technic, a leading MRO (maintenance, repair, and overhaul) service provider in the Middle East. The agreement will see the partners explore the potential demand for MRO activities for electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft in the region.
The agreement will include eVTOL MRO training and the evaluation of the infrastructure requirements and processes for the potential reassembly of Eve’s eVTOL in Saudi Arabia.
“We are delighted about the collaboration with Saudia Technic, which will support the introduction and scalability of eVTOL operations in the Middle East,” said Johann Bordais, CEO of Eve. “This MoU allows us to examine not only MRO activities, which are essential to ensure safety, reliability, and profitability but also address the logistical challenges we have to deliver our eVTOL to our customers in the region.”
“This MoA is in perfect harmony with Saudi Vision 2030, as it aims to establish Saudia Technic and Eve as leaders in the air mobility sector in Saudi Arabia and the broader Middle East,” said Fahd Cynndy, CEO of Saudia Technic. “By adopting cutting-edge technologies and seamlessly incorporating them into their operations, they are defining a new benchmark for aviation excellence in the region,” he emphasized.
In 2023, Eve announced the location of its first eVTOL production facility in Taubaté, Brazil. Currently, the company is assembling its first full-scale eVTOL prototype, which will be followed by a comprehensive test and certification campaign.
With letters of intent for nearly 3,000 eVTOLs already signed, Eve appears to be well-placed to play a significant role in the advanced air mobility industry globally in the future.