The UAE continues to solidify its position as a leading regional and global center in the aircraft Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) sector. This advancement is bolstered by its status as a major aviation hub and its hosting of significant and expanding fleets managed by national carriers with extensive international reach.
As one of the largest aviation markets in the region, the UAE plays a pivotal role thanks to major national companies such as Emirates Airlines, Etihad Airways, FlyDubai, and Air Arabia. Collectively, they operate hundreds of modern aircraft and cater to millions of travelers each year, creating a continual and growing demand for maintenance, repair, and modernization services within the country.
The UAE’s status extends beyond local and regional spheres; it has established itself as a comprehensive global destination for this industry, attracting airlines and service providers from various continents and exporting its technical and engineering services to international markets.
The year 2025 marked significant developments that boosted the country’s standing in this sector, as specialized areas like Dubai South and the Mohammed bin Rashid Aerospace Hub drew in regional and international companies specialized in maintenance services, technical support, and aircraft equipment. This was accompanied by the expansion of modern hangars and heavy maintenance facilities.
In 2025, the Mohammed bin Rashid Aerospace Hub signed strategic agreements with various global firms, including the largest global provider of aircraft services, the Aviate Solutions Group, as well as Aetherion Aerospace, UUDS, Al-Futtaim Group, and Al-Burj Holding. Additionally, the year saw the inauguration of new facilities for companies such as Satais, Team Aerospace, and RH Aero, alongside GE Aerospace laying the foundation for specialized maintenance services within the project.
The Mohammed bin Rashid Aerospace Hub also announced the launch of new facilities, including the Aircraft Maintenance Service Compound and the Private Aviation Boulevard, aimed at attracting top global airline companies and luxury retail brands.
According to a report by BlueWeave Consulting, the value of the aircraft maintenance and repair market in the UAE reached approximately $3.06 billion in 2025, with an expected compound annual growth rate of about 5.09%, increasing to around $4.33 billion by 2032, driven by fleet expansion and increased commercial flight traffic.
A report from Grand View Research indicated that the UAE claimed about 2.8% of the global aircraft maintenance and repair market revenue in 2024, with expectations of strengthening its regional share in the coming years.
The global market size for MRO is estimated at approximately $90 billion according to various specialized research studies, with predictions of continued growth fueled by rising demand for air travel and fleet upgrades.
Experts and officials in the sector have confirmed that the UAE has emerged as a major global hub for aircraft maintenance, repair, and renewal.
Kashish Kohli, CFO and Senior Vice President of Finance at the Sind Group, noted that the aircraft maintenance, repair, and overhaul sector in the UAE is experiencing steady growth supported by a healthy aviation market and major airlines generating increased demand for maintenance services.
He added that over 95% of the company’s revenue comes from exports, reflecting the global nature of the sector within the country. Kohli explained that Sind’s operations focus on aircraft engine maintenance, where engines are received, serviced, tested, and then returned to customers worldwide.
He emphasized that the UAE has become a global aviation center, not just a regional one, and that the MRO sector is a crucial part of this framework, supported by government assistance, advanced infrastructure, and a strategic location that places the nation at the heart of the global aviation network.
Haluk Acar, CEO of TIM Aerospace, stated that the company is steadily progressing toward operational commencement in the UAE. He highlighted that their new maintenance facility at Dubai South, located at Al Maktoum International Airport, represents a significant addition to the MRO sector both regionally and globally.
He noted that the UAE was chosen due to its unique strategic location as a global investment and aviation center, enabling efficient service to Asian, European, and Far East markets, and confirmed that the global shortage of maintenance capacity opens substantial opportunities for new facilities in key locations like the UAE.
The facility is primarily designed to service wide-body aircraft and can accommodate up to 12 narrow-body aircraft simultaneously or five Boeing 777-300 airplanes, showcasing its significant operational capacity.
He added that the company is nearing the completion of the final phase related to obtaining a certificate of completion from the relevant authorities and will transition to the hangar building as soon as the certificate is received to prepare for operations.
Acar explained that the company has completed accreditation applications, aiming for full operational status by fall 2026, with partial hangar operations during the transitional period.