ST Engineering today announced that its Commercial Aerospace business has entered into an MoU with Airbus Defence and Space to carry out a cabin modification programme for an Airbus A330 Multi Role Tanker Transport Plus (A330 MRTT+) aircraft in support of the latter’s customer.

The A330 MRTT+ is the A330neo-based evolution of the combat-proven A330 MRTT aerial refuelling and transport platform. This MoU sets forth the preliminary understanding between both companies regarding the provision of engineering design, certification and aircraft modification services for the cabin modification programme.

Kevin Chow, Head of Aerostructures and Systems, ST Engineering, said, “This A330 MRTT+ cabin modification marks the latest milestone in our longstanding partnership with Airbus, which includes passenger-to-freighter conversion through our joint venture in Germany. We will build on our successful partnership in freighter conversion and tap on our extensive capabilities in integrated cabin interiors solutions to deliver a product that meets the operator’s exact specifications and mission requirements, executed to the highest standards of quality.”

Through a global network of MRO facilities and partners, ST Engineering’s Commercial Aerospace business provides integrated lifecycle solutions for cabin interiors including design and engineering, product development, cabin reconfiguration and refurbishment. It possesses rich experience and expertise in developing customised aircraft engineering programmes from bespoke engineering design to certification, supply chain management and aftersales support.

AkzoNobel Aerospace Coatings has introduced a new single-coat Aerobase basecoat solution designed to help MRO paint facilities improve performance, efficiency and operational throughput. By replacing traditional two-coat application processes with a validated single-coat system, the improved Aerobase formulation will reduce application time, process complexity and total film thickness while delivering a high-quality, consistent finish across mixed fleets.

Developed specifically for the global MRO mixed fleet market, the product is certified for immediate use worldwide, enabling paint facilities to adopt the single-coat process.

As part of AkzoNobel Aerospace’s ongoing commitment to continuous product and process improvement, the development program focused on optimising application control, film build consistency and finish quality within performance-critical MRO environments.

The enhanced formulation delivers significantly improved sag resistance, with approximately a 40% increase compared to the original system. When combined with a cross-coat application process, it enables a single-coat application, achieving the required hiding power and surface finish to replace the traditional two-coat approach.

Field testing conducted in 2025 on a single-aisle aircraft demonstrated a 36% reduction in total film thickness compared to a previously applied two-coat system. The reduction is achieved without compromising durability or appearance, supporting both productivity and finish quality. Alongside the improved finish consistency and surface quality, the reduction in film thickness will contribute to lower operating weight, reduced fuel burn, and associated CO₂ emissions* for airlines

The development of Aerobase to create a single-basecoat application is a result of AkzoNobel Aerospace Coatings’ focus has been firmly on addressing real operational pressures faced by paint facilities, explains Aurore Bournazel, Segment Manager OEM, MRO & Airlines: “MROs are under constant pressure to improve efficiency without compromising quality. This latest Aerobase development enables a validated single-coat process that simplifies application, improves consistency and delivers measurable performance benefits. By reducing total film thickness, it also supports airlines’ efforts to lower aircraft weight, helping to reduce operating costs and associated CO2 emissions It’s a practical solution designed to help paint facilities do more with less – today.”

The enhanced Aerobase single-coat solution will be available in the most commonly used aerospace white colors, ensuring immediate relevance for airlines and MRO operators worldwide.

AkzoNobel Aerospace Coatings’ technical teams are actively supporting MROs with process development, validation and applicator training to ensure consistent, repeatable results across facilities.

The product is certified for global use within the MRO mixed fleet market, enabling immediate deployment in operational paint facilities, and OEM testing and approval is set to follow.

Additional aircraft applications are currently underway with two MROs, covering both single-aisle and wide-body aircraft. These applications, combined with the last year’s test, will provide robust, real-world performance data which will support airlines and MROs make informed decisions when evaluating efficiency, weight reduction and finish quality.

The product is planned for global rollout throughout 2026.

Dedienne Aerospace is highlighting the scale-up of its tooling services operations in Southeast Asia, built around two established regional anchors: Dedienne Singapore and Dedienne Malaysia.

Across the industry, maintenance windows are tightening while turnaround performance is under pressure, particularly on engines, with a majority of MROs reporting longer engine maintenance turnaround times year-on-year. In parallel, Southeast Asia passenger traffic is forecast to more than triple through 2043, increasing utilization and the need for predictable, on-time maintenance execution.

In this environment, tooling readiness becomes a critical path. A tool that cannot be certified on time, repaired quickly, or upgraded to the latest standard can delay an entire maintenance line. Dedienne Aerospace’s one-stop shop approach is designed to remove that friction by combining local execution with OEM-licensed expertise and the reach of an international network.

From Dedienne Aerospace Service Centers in Singapore and Malaysia, customers can rely on a one-stop shop for tooling lifecycle management, aligned with OEM requirements, from periodic certification, training, repair and upgrades, with one operational focus: keep the right tooling available, serviceable, and ready when needed. When schedules tighten, local teams respond fast, leveraging local tooling availability, tooling stock, and a connected service ecosystem that supports rapid return-to-service across the region.

“In Southeast Asia, our priority is readiness: keeping tooling compliant, serviceable and available without adding complexity for customers,” said Kelvin See, managing director Asia-Pacific at Dedienne Aerospace. “With our teams in Singapore and Malaysia, we deliver faster turnaround time and one stop-shop for tooling lifecycle management.”

Dedienne Aerospace says it will continue to strengthen local support across Southeast Asia, “where operating across multiple countries and island networks makes proximity essential to responsiveness and customer satisfaction.”

Aviationscouts, part of the Aerotec Group, announced the appointment of Bastian Breitenmoser as vice president commercial & strategy, reinforcing the group’s focus on integrated commercial strategy, digital platforms and market expansion.

In his role, Breitenmoser will lead the development and alignment of commercial strategy across aviationscouts and the wider Aerotec Group. His responsibilities include strategic market development, digital business models, customer-facing platforms, and the integration of commercial and technological capabilities across the group.

With nearly 20 years of experience in aviation, transport and mobility, Breitenmoser brings a career shaped by progressive responsibility across leading industry players. His professional background includes formative commercial and digital roles within the Lufthansa Group, followed by senior leadership positions at airberlin and Sixt Rent a Car, where he was responsible for driving commercial strategy, digital business models, and customer-facing platforms at scale.

Prior to joining aviationscouts, he co-founded and led Opremic, focusing on digital ecosystems for the aviation and MRO industry.

At group level, Breitenmoser will oversee the commercial direction of the Aerotec Group, supporting the development and market positioning of its comprehensive MRO portfolio. His mandate includes aligning commercial strategy across physical MRO services, parts and interiors solutions, and digital offerings, further strengthening the group’s positioning as an integrated, digitally enabled MRO service provider.

“With the continued expansion of our MRO activities, it became essential to align our commercial strategy across the entire Aerotec Group,” says Frank Kusserow, CEO of Aerotec Group. “Bastian brings the combination of aviation expertise, commercial leadership, and digital mindset we need to further develop and position our comprehensive MRO portfolio —from physical services and interiors to digital solutions — under a unified market approach.”

Liebherr-Aerospace and Röder Präzision extend their existing cooperation in the overhaul of the landing gears on board the Embraer E-Jet E1 program.

Liebherr-Aerospace Lindenberg and Röder Präzision, based in Egelsbach (Germany), are intensifying their cooperation. Accordingly, Röder will overhaul structural components of the main landing gear for Embraer E-Jet E1. Röder already supports Liebherr’s MRO business by overhauling parts of the nose landing gear for the same aircraft program.

To support Liebherr-Aerospace, Röder invested in a significant expansion of their machinery, as well as in additional training of their highly specialized employees. In 2026, the overhaul of the structural components will be increased successively.

Gerd Heinzelmann, managing director of Liebherr-Aerospace Lindenberg, explained: “A cooperation like this is a win-win situation for everyone involved: we’re already close partners, who support each other. It’s important to cover global needs that are sure to arise in the near future. The overhaul is carried out domestically with short delivery routes and we can therefore offer our customers greater capacities and faster turnaround times.”

The disassembly, assembly, test and certification of the landing gears will take place at Liebherr-Aerospace in Lindenberg, while individual parts will be overhauled at Röder.

“The continued development of our cooperation with Liebherr-Aerospace is built on a long-standing, trust-based partnership.,” Bastian Heberer, CEO of the Röder Group, commented. “Through targeted investments in machinery and the ongoing qualification of our highly skilled employees, we are further strengthening our contribution as a reliable MRO partner and supporting Liebherr in delivering stable capacities, high quality and short turnaround times for the Embraer E-Jet E1 program.”

Liebherr-Aerospace in Lindenberg is with its built supply chain the Original Equipment Manufacturer for the landing gear systems of the Embraer E1 generation of E-Jets.

Aircraft operators can now enjoy greater convenience and efficiency at an integrated airframe and nacelle maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) service centre operated by ST Engineering’s Commercial Aerospace business.

In a first for ST Engineering’s global MRO network, this service centre combines both airframe and nacelle capabilities within its existing airframe MRO facilities in Singapore. The integrated offering reduces operational complexity and shortens turnaround times while ensuring consistent technical standards to deliver greater value for operators. Operators of supported aircraft platforms can consolidate their airframe and nacelle maintenance work scope seamlessly at this dual-service centre, which is equipped with advanced tooling and OEM-approved processes to support both scheduled and unscheduled maintenance.

Jeffrey Lam, President of Commercial Aerospace, ST Engineering, said, “This integrated service centre in Singapore strengthens our global MRO network and gives customers more flexibility in choosing a location that best supports their operations and MRO requirements. By streamlining communications, maintenance scheduling and work scope management, we now offer a true one‑stop experience that allows our customers to focus on flying and growing their business.”

ST Engineering’s Commercial Aerospace business is the world’s largest airframe MRO service provider with a network of facilities across Asia Pacific, the U.S. and Europe. It has nacelle MRO facilities in Stockholm, Baltimore, Melbourne and Xiamen which are backed by over 10 additional service centres worldwide to provide round-the-clock support and access to asset pools for nacelle exchange units. Its nacelle MRO programmes have been certified by multiple aviation authorities, and are approved by major aviation OEMs such as Boeing, Airbus, Safran and Collins Aerospace, enabling it to provide OEM-aligned repairs to a global clientele.

ST Engineering is showcasing its MRO offerings as well as multi-disciplinary capabilities, technology leadership and engineering excellence across the air, land, sea, digital and emerging domains at the Singapore Airshow from 3 – 8 February 2026 at the ST Engineering Pavilion (G01).

AJW Group, a globally renowned independent provider of aircraft component parts, repair, and supply chain solutions to the commercial, business, and defence aviation sectors, announced the acquisition of Boeing 787-8 MSN 36424, further strengthening its growing B787 portfolio.

The aircraft joins an expanding fleet of B787 types acquired by AJW Group as part of its long-term strategy to support customer requirements across the B787 market.

“This acquisition is another example of our disciplined approach to building and managing our B787 portfolio.” said Christopher Whiteside, Chairman at AJW Group. “We continue to invest selectively in assets that strengthen our platform and allow us to respond effectively to customer requirements across the B787 market. Each addition is assessed carefully to ensure it supports long-term value creation for the Group.”

Global aviation marketplace Locatory.com is pleased to announce the launch of a strategic partnership with the world’s leading aviation MRO publication – Aviation Maintenance (AVM) Magazine.

Through this collaboration, each platform enhances its existing audience experience. Readers of Aviation Maintenance Magazine can stay informed on industry news, trends, and regulatory developments and, at the same time, begin searching for aviation parts and services via a public search frame powered by Locatory.com. In parallel, Locatory.com users searching for parts and services gain access to the latest industry news and technical insight published by AVM Magazine.

Toma Matutyte, CEO at Locatory.com, shared:

“We’re thrilled to partner with AVM Magazine. This initiative reflects our commitment to making aviation procurement more informed, accessible, and efficient. By being present where aviation maintenance professionals already turn for trusted insight, we eliminate unnecessary steps in the sourcing process and allow access to both technical knowledge and marketplace offerings in one place.”

The partnership addresses the practical reality of aviation maintenance work, where professionals must both keep up with industry developments and act quickly when sourcing parts and services – needs that have traditionally been met through separate channels.

Adrian Broadbent, CEO of Aviation Maintenance Magazine, stated:

“Our readers rely on Aviation Maintenance Magazine to stay informed on the technical, regulatory, and operational developments shaping the MRO sector. By embedding Locatory.com’s public search capability, we enable them to move directly from insight to action, supporting faster, better-informed sourcing decisions while maintaining the integrity of our editorial experience.”

By connecting industry insight with immediate access to aviation parts and services search across both platforms, the collaboration helps professionals improve decision confidence, operational efficiency, and awareness of market availability and trends. It supports a more practical workflow where staying informed and taking action can happen in parallel.

How the Integration Works

The partnership is implemented through a two-way integration that requires no additional accounts or setup.

On Locatory.com, the MRO Magazine page features an interactive flipbook with the latest issue of Aviation Maintenance Magazine, updated with each new release.

On AVM-mag.com, the Knowledge Hub MRO Parts Search enables readers to search aviation parts and services using Locatory.com’s public marketplace search. Full results and sourcing actions are completed on Locatory.com.