ST Engineering’s Commercial Aerospace business and Collins Aerospace, an RTX business, have signed three multi-year agreements to expand component repair capabilities and original equipment manufacturer parts procurement for major Boeing and Airbus aircraft platforms.

Announced in a press release on September 23, 2026, the collaboration is designed to deliver faster turnaround times for component repairs amid ongoing global supply chain constraints. The agreements integrate Collins Aerospace’s original equipment manufacturing (OEM) data and parts with ST Engineering’s global maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) network.

Expanding component support and repair capabilities

The three agreements broaden ST Engineering’s authorized repair capabilities for the Boeing 787 and extend lifecycle repair support for the Airbus A320 and Boeing 737 aircraft families. The deal also expands ST Engineering’s procurement of OEM spare parts for narrowbody aircraft, specifically targeting components for the Boeing 737 MAX and Airbus A320neo.

Supported components under the new agreements include Line Replaceable Units (LRUs), Collins fan assembly electronics boards, and Power & Controls spare parts.

Poon Kok Wah, Senior Vice President and Head of Component Services at ST Engineering, stated in the press release that the expanded scope deepens the collaboration between the two companies and enhances the value of ST Engineering’s Maintenance-By-the-Hour program.

“Our longstanding relationship with Collins Aerospace brings together its OEM expertise and ST Engineering’s lifecycle MRO and comprehensive asset management strengths to better support airline operators worldwide,” Poon said.

He noted that the agreements will directly bolster in-house component MRO capabilities for the 787, 737 MAX, and A320neo platforms, alongside improvements in distribution and material services.

Strategic growth and infrastructure investment

The component support agreements follow parallel infrastructure investments by both companies to capture growing aftermarket demand. On September 9, 2026, ST Engineering announced an expansion of its nacelle MRO capacity at its Stockholm facility. The project will add approximately 5,000 square meters of capacity by early 2027 to accommodate increasing demand for widebody nacelle maintenance.

According to reporting by Aviation Week, modern composite nacelles increasingly require access to proprietary repair procedures and OEM engineering data. This technical requirement makes licensing agreements with manufacturers like Collins Aerospace strategically vital for independent MRO providers.

Collins Aerospace is concurrently expanding its manufacturing and support footprint in Singapore. In August 2024, the company announced a $250 million investment to relocate its Singapore manufacturing plant to a new facility in the Seletar Aerospace Park. Construction on the new site is scheduled to begin in the fourth quarter of 2025 and conclude by 2027, according to the Association of Aerospace Industries Singapore.

AirPro News analysis

We view the deepening integration between Tier 1 OEMs and independent MRO providers as a necessary response to persistent supply chain bottlenecks. As new-generation aircraft like the 737 MAX and A320neo mature, the volume of components requiring specialized repair procedures is increasing. By securing direct access to Collins Aerospace OEM parts and technical data, ST Engineering can bypass secondary market shortages and offer operators more predictable dispatch reliability. For Collins Aerospace, leveraging ST Engineering’s established global MRO infrastructure allows the manufacturer to scale its aftermarket support without bearing the full capital expenditure of building new, wholly owned repair stations.

Sources: ST Engineering

This is original reporting and analysis by AirPro News.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has granted The Boeing Company a regulatory exemption allowing the manufacturer to certify and sell up to 35 current-generation Boeing 777 Freighter (777F) aircraft beyond a looming 2028 emissions deadline.

The waiver, officially designated as Exemption No. 26705, bridges a critical production gap for Boeing’s widebody freighter program as the company faces delays in certifying its next-generation replacement, the Boeing 777-8F. Without the exemption, Boeing would have been barred from delivering the current 777F after January 1, 2028, when stricter fuel-efficiency and carbon dioxide emissions standards take effect.

Bridging the production gap

The FAA signed the exemption on September 15, 2026, and published it to the public docket the following day. The waiver applies specifically to aircraft receiving their first certificates of airworthiness between January 1, 2028, and January 1, 2031.

In its summary of Boeing’s petition published in the Federal Register in April 2026, the FAA noted the request was designed to “meet existing customer demand and maintain production continuity” during the transition to the newer model.

The 777-8F certification timeline is closely tied to the broader 777X program. With the first Boeing 777-9 passenger aircraft currently targeted for delivery in 2027, the 777-8F is expected to enter service approximately two years later in 2029. The FAA decision cited the need for flexibility to accommodate uncertainty in the certification timeline of the replacement freighter, according to reporting by Reuters.

Economic implications and regulatory precedent

The financial stakes for the 777F program are substantial. Reuters reported that Boeing claimed the absence of an exemption would result in the loss of an estimated $15 billion in United States exports. Each 777F export contributes approximately $440 million to the U.S. trade balance at list prices.

The incoming 2028 regulations stem from a February 2024 FAA rule that adopted International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) standards aimed at reducing carbon pollution from large airplanes. The current-generation 777F does not meet these updated efficiency requirements.

This is not the first time Boeing has secured relief from the 2028 emissions cutoff for its cargo aircraft. In 2024, the U.S. Congress passed legislation permitting Boeing to continue producing its Boeing 767 Freighter for an additional five years through 2033, exempting that airframe from the same environmental regulations.

AirPro News analysis

We view this exemption as a pragmatic regulatory maneuver that acknowledges the reality of current aerospace supply chains and certification timelines. By capping the exemption at 35 airframes and setting a hard expiration date of January 1, 2031, the FAA has provided Boeing with a necessary buffer without permanently undermining the ICAO emissions framework. This decision effectively de-risks the 777-8F transition for Boeing, ensuring the manufacturer can maintain its dominant position in the dedicated widebody freighter market even if the 777X program encounters further minor schedule adjustments.

Sources: Federal Aviation Administration

Hong Kong Aircraft Engineering Company Limited (HAECO) and Rolls-Royce have launched a specialized modular replacement service for the Trent 1000 engine at HAECO’s London Heathrow Airport (LHR) facility.

Announced in a press release on September 21, 2026, the new capability targets Module 32 (Intermediate Pressure Compressor) and Module 41 (High Pressure Compressor) replacements for the powerplant, which is a primary option for the Boeing 787 Dreamliner. The addition makes the London site one of only four locations worldwide authorized to perform these major modular replacements.

Addressing maintenance choke points

The Aviation industry is currently navigating significant pressure regarding engine maintenance capacity and aircraft availability. To mitigate these constraints, HAECO is utilizing a horizontal strip method designed to reduce turnaround times and extend engine time on wing.

Rolls-Royce Senior Vice President for the Trent 1000, Rachel Walker, noted that while the manufacturer is producing new engines, expediting re-engineered components to existing customers remains a priority. She stated that the partnership with HAECO is helping reduce MRO choke points.

George Edmunds, Group Director of Components and Engine Services at HAECO, described the London capability as a major milestone in the Partnerships with Rolls-Royce. He emphasized the focus on delivering a certified solution that allows airlines to restore fleet health and return aircraft to service.

Global engine support expansion

The London Heathrow authorization follows a broader strategy by HAECO to scale its global engine support network. On July 22, 2026, the maintenance provider announced the opening of Engine Workshop No. 5 at its Hong Kong base, expanding capacity for advanced engine services including Trent XWB module swaps and LEAP engine support.

The financial footprint of the Trent 1000 maintenance market is substantial. According to reporting by Aviation Week, the engine is projected to generate $43.1 billion in MRO spending between 2026 and 2035.

AirPro News analysis

We view the authorization of a fourth global site for Trent 1000 modular replacements as a necessary pressure release valve for the Boeing 787 Dreamliner fleet. With supply chain constraints continuing to limit the availability of spare engines and parts, localized modular replacement capabilities at major transit hubs like London Heathrow allow operators to avoid shipping entire powerplants across the globe for specific compressor module swaps. The projected $43.1 billion in MRO spending over the next decade underscores why maintenance providers are aggressively expanding their engine service footprints.

Sources: HAECO