ST Engineering inks aircraft repair deals with Airbus, Embraer

SINGAPORE — Singapore’s largest defense contractor has signed a series of preliminary maintenance, repair and overhaul agreements with French and Brazilian companies.

ST Engineering signed the deals for MRO work during last week’s Singapore Airshow. They cover Airbus’ C-295 medium transport aircraft and Embraer’s C-390 Millennium airlifter.

ST Engineering has experience providing MRO services to the Republic of Singapore Air Force’s legacy aircraft, including A-4SU Super Skyhawk jets, a company representative told Defense News.

The firm has also performed MRO services for Airbus’ commercial line and conducted freighter conversions, but the recent agreement looks to expand work to the C-295, which will include depot-level maintenance.

Airbus executives said they have been looking for MRO partners in Asia, where 28 C-295 are currently in service with armed forces in Vietnam, the Philippines, Indonesia, Brunei and Bangladesh. The agreement with ST Engineering would only cover C-295 aircraft in the Asia-Pacific region, Airbus told with Defense News, and will not include aircraft from Bangladesh.

The C-295 can be used for surveillance and maritime patrol missions. The French firm Airbus anticipates an increase in C-295 orders following a rising demand for surveillance aircraft in the region.

A spokesperson from ST Engineering told Defense News the firm has not yet finalized the specific C-295 variants involved in the MRO collaboration.

Brazilian company Embraer signed a memorandum of understanding on MRO collaboration with ST Engineering for the C-390. An ST Engineering spokesperson told Defense News via email that the agreement covers engineering, support services and maintenance for the aircraft.

Embraer has not yet announced sales in Southeast Asia but anticipates demand for the C-390 airlifter. The two firms will also cooperate on radars and land systems; border security; simulation; advanced production technologies; command-and-control, communications and computer technologies; and intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition and reconnaissance, according to a news release.

Meanwhile, ST Engineering’s defense aviation services division announced a first-time collaboration with American company Honeywell amid ongoing overhaul work for two C-130s in service with the Tunisian Air Force.

The long-time agreement between the two companies will see Honeywell provide hardware and engineering support to ST Engineering for the Tunisian aircraft. This includes the integration of Honeywell’s Cockpit Display System Retrofit, a system composed of up to five large-format LCD color displays that provide flight controls, air data and altitude sensors.

More In Industry

Tech maturing too fast for multiyear drone buys, Army’s Bush says

Locking in on the same drone year after year may not make sense amid rapidly changing circumstances, he said.

Pentagon seeks $14.5 billion for cyber spending including zero trust

“Cyber capabilities will continue to be a critical component of our national defense and, accordingly, a priority in our budget,” a senior official said.

Software revamp aims to align US Army with industry best practices

“More than ever before, software is actually a national-security imperative,” said Margaret Boatner, an Army strategy and acquisition executive.

France prepares for space wars in ‘AsterX’ European exercise

Participants from France and 15 partner countries trained for everything from jammed space communications to hostile satellites.

Central Command’s Kurilla eyes drone-countering lasers for Middle East

At least 31 directed-energy initiatives are underway across the U.S. Department of Defense. Some are more mature than others.