WDS: Boosting KSA ambitions high on wish list of Airbus division

Schoellhorn said his division of the European OEM sees the Kingdom as much more than simply a source of business. “We want to contribute to the development of the country,” he said.

“Aviation is at the forefront of technology, so I think we have a lot to offer, in terms of education, the creation of jobs, helping Saudi Arabia to prosper.”

Schoellhorn highlighted the Airbus Foundation’s Little Engineer science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education programme, and said one-third of the 300 Airbus Defence and Space personnel in Saudi Arabia are Saudi nationals.

The Defence and Space division has a number of platforms in service in the region, including 45 CN-235 and C295 light/medium transports (including four C295s in Saudi Arabia); 136 Eurofighter Typhoons, 72 of which were delivered to the Royal Saudi Air Force: and 11 A330 MRTTs, of which eight are in Saudi Arabia.

Schoellhorn said the A330 MRTT was the world’s most advanced tanker, a leader in the development and deployment of automatic air-to-air refuelling and the automatic refuelling of autonomous unmanned systems.

Looking forward, Schoellhorn acknowledged that Airbus Defence and Space was in discussions about the delivery of A400M transport aircraft and C295MPA maritime patrol aircraft to Saudi Arabia.

Since the end of McDonnell Douglas/Boeing C-17 production, the A400M is the world’s only in-production strategic military transport aircraft, and Schoellhorn said the aircraft had “good traction” in Saudi Arabia, with interest from the RSAF in the type.

He said the C295MPA was “early in the race”, but added that it offered more scope for local partnerships and participation than some competitors, while ts capabilities were a good match for any operator trying to build up its maritime patrol and anti-submarine (MPA/ASW) capabilities.