JERUSALEM (VINnews) — Israeli aviation manufacturer Israel Aerospace Industries signed an agreement with Dubai’s Emirates airline to convert four passenger aircraft into cargo planes, according to an annoucement by the company Monday. IAI will convert the Boeing B777-300ER passenger planes into cargo carriers at a newly opened facility in Abu Dhabi, witha possible future deal for the Israeli firm to “provide passenger-to-freighter conversion services to more aircraft,” according to the company.
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IAI is currently participating in the Dubai Air Show, together with six other defence contractors which are presenting their innovations at the show, which is one of the major weapons shows in the world.
IAI also revealed its new Mini Communication Satellite (MSC) at the air show. The advanced communication satellite weighs roughly 700 kg (1540 pounds) upon its launch and includes a complete digital communication payload weighing up to 200 kg (440 pounds). Due to its light weight, the satellite can be launched together in rideshares with other satellites, significantly reducing launch costs. With an expected life span of 14 years, it is designed to provide multi-zone communication services to customers or countries with diverse communication needs.
In August, IAI brokered a deal with the UAE’s Etihad Airway’s Engineering, the largest commercial aircraft maintenance provider in the Middle East, to establish a major facility in Abu Dhabi to convert Boeing 777-3000ER passenger planes into cargo aircraft. The site, which is slated to open in 2023, will be IAI’s maintenance center in the UAE and will enable it to help Etihad Airways meet the growing global demand for cargo airplanes. Currently, IAI has a number of similar conversion sites in other countries, including Israel, Mexico, China, Italy and Ethiopia.
Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, chairman and chief executive at Emirates Airline and Group, said that the agreement “underscores our commitment to supporting our customers’ requirements, and reflects our confidence in our future growth and status as one of the largest airline cargo carriers in the world.”
IAI develops and manufactures advanced systems for air, space, sea, land, cyber and homeland security. Since 1953, the company has provided technology solutions to government and commercial customers worldwide, including satellites, UAVs, missiles, weapon systems and munitions, unmanned and robotic systems, and radar. The firm is one of Israel’s largest technology employers with offices and R&D centers in Israel and around the world.