Rolls-Royce
Rolls-Royce and Turkish Airlines Strengthen Strategic Partnership in Aviation Industry
Rolls-Royce (LSE: RR., ADR: RYCEY) and Turkish Airlines are reinforcing their longstanding collaboration to support and enhance Turkey’s position in the global aviation industry. Rolls-Royce CEO Tufan Erginbilgiç and Turkish Airlines Chairman of the Board and Executive Committee Prof. Dr. Ahmet Bolat signed a joint statement at a ceremony held at the Turkish Airlines Headquarters in Istanbul.
The ceremony was attended by Ministers of Industry and Technology, Trade, Transport and Infrastructure, as well as the Deputy Minister of National Defense.
The event also saw the presence of representatives from leading aviation companies in Turkey, along with the British Consul General and the Undersecretaries of France and Spain. Guillaume Faury, CEO of Airbus, Christian Scherer, CEO of Airbus Commercial Aircraft, and Rob Watson, President of Civil Aerospace at Rolls-Royce, also accompanied the ceremony.
The joint statement follows Turkish Airlines’ historic order for 80 Airbus A350 aircraft. This landmark agreement includes orders for 120 Trent XWB-84 and 40 Trent XWB-97 engines, excluding options and spare engines. With this agreement, Turkish Airlines becomes the largest operator of Trent XWB engines powering the Airbus A350 worldwide.
As part of its long-term strategy and commitment to Turkey, Rolls-Royce is working on implementing a series of industrial initiatives. These include enhancing competitive Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) capabilities and expanding the supply chain in Turkey. Rolls-Royce anticipates that these projects will have a significantly positive impact on the Turkish economy in the coming years.
Rolls-Royce already has deep-rooted relationships with Turkey’s aviation supply chain. Following this historic agreement, Rolls-Royce will collaborate with the industry to increase its supply activities in Turkey.
Rolls-Royce CEO Tufan Erginbilgiç said
“Turkey is a strategically important market for Rolls-Royce across all our business sectors. We are delighted with the confidence Turkish Airlines has shown in our Trent XWB engines.
Leveraging our advanced aerospace engineering expertise, we look forward to collaborating with Turkish Airlines and our partners to benefit the Turkish economy, enhance industry capabilities, and advance our role in energy transformation. Personally, I am excited about the strengthening of our relationship with esteemed Turkish Airlines and the Republic of Turkey.”
Turkish Airlines Chairman of the Board and Executive Committee Prof. Dr. Ahmet Bolat said:
“Rolls-Royce has been a significant partner for Turkish Airlines over the past 15 years. With this latest acquisition, we are poised to become the largest operator of XWB engines. This purchase represents a significant milestone in our mutually beneficial strategic partnership with Rolls-Royce and Turkey.
As part of this strategy, we have agreed to establish a ‘Steering Committee.’ Through this committee, identified projects will be executed based on performance, competitiveness, and quality criteria.
The significant growth of the Turkish aviation sector over the last two decades will propel this committee and ecosystem to new heights, providing added value not only to Turkey but also to the global aviation industry. Through this initiative, we aim to create a sustainable and mutually beneficial environment for both the Turkish aviation sector and Rolls-Royce.”