Virgin Australia (VA) has selected Delta TechOps to provide fleetwide component support for its more than 100 Boeing 737NG and 737 MAX aircraft, under a five-year agreement that covers airframe components as well as components for the CFM56-7B and CFM LEAP-1B engines. The deal expands an existing maintenance relationship between the two companies and, according to Delta, further grows Delta TechOps’ presence in the Asia-Pacific region.

Delta Air Lines (DL) announced the selection in a release on its Delta News Hub dated November 11, 2026. Delta said the work will be performed primarily in Atlanta and Minneapolis, with logistics support from Virgin Australia in Singapore, Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney. The release did not disclose the value of the agreement or the date the five-year term begins.

What the agreement covers

According to Delta, the new contract expands an existing maintenance relationship. TechOps previously supported Virgin Australia’s CFM56-7B engines and completed component repairs across the airline’s fleet. The new agreement provides fleetwide component support, covering the 737NG aircraft, which use CFM56-7B engines, and the 737 MAX aircraft, which are powered by the LEAP-1B.

Marc Meredith, chief commercial officer for Delta TechOps, said “Virgin Australia’s 737s are central to its operation” and that TechOps appreciated the confidence placed in it to support the fleet. He also said:

“As an airline operator ourselves, we understand what aircraft availability means to a schedule and to the customers who depend on it.”

Meredith said TechOps teams bring that perspective, along with technical expertise across the CFM56-7B and LEAP-1B, to every component they support.

Building on a 2015 engine contract

The component deal builds on an earlier engine contract. In December 2015, Virgin Australia announced that Delta TechOps would handle engine maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) for its Boeing 737 Next Generation fleet under a 13-year CFM56-7B engine maintenance contract. The two airlines were strategic alliance partners at the time, and Virgin Australia Chief Operating Officer Gary Hammes said then that the contract “further deepens Virgin Australia’s strategic alliance with Delta Air Lines.”

Virgin Australia said in that 2015 release that it had 78 Boeing 737NG aircraft. The new agreement covers more than 100 737NG and 737 MAX aircraft, according to Delta. Aircraft seen flying with Virgin Australia’s VOZ code in the AirPro Atlas since October 13, 2026, include 71 Boeing 737-800s, 20 Boeing 737 MAX 8s and nine Boeing 737-700s.

Delta TechOps and the LEAP-1B

Delta TechOps was named a CFM Premier MRO provider for LEAP-1B engines in 2022, the first North American MRO to earn that designation, according to a Delta release from March 11, 2026. In that release, Delta said TechOps had become the first and only North American airline MRO licensed to support both the LEAP-1A and LEAP-1B, after adding full LEAP-1A overhaul capability.

In Asia-Pacific, Delta TechOps already maintains the LEAP-1B engines on Korean Air’s 737 MAX fleet, the same engine family that powers Virgin Australia’s 737 MAX aircraft. Delta announced that work on December 9, 2025, describing it as its first third-party LEAP-1B contract. Delta said at the time that TechOps was one of only six providers globally authorized under CFM’s Branded Services Agreement for LEAP engines.

Delta said the Virgin Australia selection reflects its growing reach in Asia-Pacific. In February 2025, Delta announced nonstop service from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) to Melbourne Airport (MEL) starting in December 2025 on the Airbus A350-900, its third nonstop destination in Australia after Sydney and Brisbane. The November 11 release says Delta has launched the Los Angeles-Melbourne service and now serves Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane.

A growing third-party component business

The Virgin Australia selection follows another 737 component award. On October 28, 2026, at MRO Europe in Amsterdam, Delta announced that Aeroitalia had chosen TechOps to provide full component support for its Boeing 737 fleet. In that release, Delta said it had reported $1 billion in year-to-date MRO revenue.

TechOps launched third-party MRO services in 2000, according to Delta’s October 2025 announcement of a long-term component care agreement with Jet2.com. Delta says TechOps now supports more than 150 customers across six continents. The company, which describes itself as North America’s largest MRO provider, says it services more than 100,000 aircraft components annually through 25 in-house component shops, and that it is the only provider in the Americas certified to support the CFM LEAP, Pratt & Whitney GTF and Rolls-Royce Trent engine families.

General Atomics AeroTec Systems (GA-ATS) has started building the first phase of a new aircraft maintenance facility in Nordholz, Lower Saxony, with four maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) docks expected to be operational by the end of 2027.

In a press release dated November 11, 2026, the company said construction began at a ceremony attended by Lower Saxony’s Minister President Olaf Lies. The 40,000-square-meter site is connected to the Cuxhaven/Nordholz airfield and, according to General Atomics, has a long-term investment potential of more than 50 million euros, with the scope and pace of later phases set by customer demand.

What the first phase includes

The facility will add capacity for maintenance, repair and overhaul of various aircraft, General Atomics said. Training and instruction rooms are also planned, where customers can be trained to service the respective aircraft. The project will be built in several phases, and the ceremony marked the start of structural work on the first.

The company said the facility will create qualified jobs and that, depending on customer demand, the location has long-term potential to employ more than 100 people. Further expansion beyond the first phase depends on that demand, and customer requirements will guide the scope and pace of development.

Harald Robl, CEO of General Atomics Europe GmbH, said the company is investing in infrastructure and maintenance capacity in Nordholz to be closer to its customers and to be ready when they need it.

“As a family-owned business, we think long-term and view ourselves as partners to our customers.”

Harald Robl, CEO, General Atomics Europe GmbH

Lies said the investment strengthens Lower Saxony as a business and industrial location, will create jobs and regional economic value, and continues the development of Nordholz into a center of excellence for maritime aviation and high technology. “General Atomics’ decision to choose Nordholz is a strong commitment to Lower Saxony as a business and industrial location,” he said.

Planning around the airfield and a festival site

General Atomics said planning and implementation are coordinated with government agencies, civil and military aviation operators and neighboring companies, and that on-site cooperation helped speed up planning and approval processes. The DEICHBRAND Festival is located directly next to the site and was considered in the planning; the company said the new use is not expected to harm it, and it plans to set aside areas on its own property for emergency escape and rescue routes.

From property purchase to construction

On July 15, 2026, General Atomics Europe GmbH announced that it had acquired a property of about 40,000 square meters with direct airport access, next to the Nordholz Naval Air Base in the Cuxhaven district. At the time, the company said GA-ATS would operate the facility, working closely with General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI).

The July announcement framed the site as an expansion of maintenance and sustainment work for aviation systems operated by the German Armed Forces (Bundeswehr). Robl said then that “we are taking the next step in expanding our long-standing partnership with the German Armed Forces.” Neither General Atomics release names the aircraft types the Nordholz docks will handle.

GA-ATS and the aircraft based at Nordholz

According to the company, the General Atomics Europe Group has operated in Germany for more than 30 years. GA-ATS manufactures the Do228 and provides system support for it, and it develops and produces the new Do228 NXT, which it supports with maintenance, service and modernization. GA-ATS is a DEMAR 145-certified maintenance organization and performs base maintenance on the German Army and German Navy NH90 fleets.

The neighboring base is run by the German Navy’s Naval Air Wing 3 “Graf Zeppelin” (Marinefliegergeschwader 3). According to the Bundeswehr, the wing operates the P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft, in service with the Navy since October 2025, as well as eight P-3C Orion maritime reconnaissance aircraft. It also flies two Do 228 aircraft for the Federal Ministry of Transport to detect marine pollution over the North and Baltic Seas.

GA-ASI, which GA-ATS will work with at Nordholz, has a separate order from Germany. On January 12, 2026, GA-ASI announced that Germany’s Federal Office of Bundeswehr Equipment, Information Technology and In-Service Support and the NATO Support and Procurement Agency (NSPA) had procured eight MQ-9B SeaGuardian remotely piloted aircraft and four Certifiable Ground Control Stations, with first delivery expected in 2028. That release did not name a basing location or a maintenance site in Germany.

What to watch

The next milestone General Atomics has given is the four MRO docks, expected to be operational by the end of 2027. Any later phases, and the jobs and investment tied to them, depend on customer demand, according to the company.

B&H Worldwide has acquired Founders Logistics, a US-headquartered company that specializes exclusively in aircraft engine transportation, adding a dedicated engine transport specialist to a network of hubs and Aircraft on Ground (AOG) centers across Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA), Asia, the Americas and Oceania.

The purchase follows the March 2026 investment by Sun European Partners, whose affiliate backed B&H with a stated plan to pursue mergers and acquisitions in aviation logistics. In its press release, issued from Heathrow, London, B&H Worldwide did not disclose the purchase price, other financial terms or a closing date.

What Founders Logistics brings to B&H

According to the release, Founders Logistics combines experienced logistics professionals with hands-on operational expertise and sensor-based tracking technology. It provides dedicated shipment management, end-to-end visibility and proactive updates throughout each engine move. B&H said the deal joins that expertise with its own international network, 24/7 operational support, AOG response capabilities and engine storage services.

The companies framed the acquisition around demand from airlines, maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) providers, lessors and original equipment manufacturers (OEMs). The release says these customers need logistics partners that deliver secure, reliable and time-critical engine transportation with complete shipment visibility. Together, the two companies plan to offer integrated engine logistics, from collection and handling through international transportation, storage and final delivery.

What changes for customers

B&H said customers of both companies will continue working with their existing teams and day-to-day contacts. Over time, the release says, they will gain coordinated engine collection, ground transportation, air freight, storage and final delivery through one specialist logistics partner.

They will also have access to Founders’ engine transportation expertise, backed by B&H’s international network and its 24/7 AOG and critical logistics centers.

What the two executives said

Stuart Allen, Chairman of B&H Worldwide, said: “Aircraft engines are among the most valuable and operationally critical assets in aviation.” He said moving them safely and on time requires specialist expertise, meticulous planning and a highly responsive logistics operation, adding that “Founders Logistics has built an outstanding reputation in this specialised field.”

Allen said bringing Founders into B&H combines its engine transportation expertise with B&H’s global network, 24/7 operations and more than three decades of aerospace logistics experience. He welcomed Founders President Cristhian Contador and the Founders team, saying the two organizations share a commitment to operational excellence, attention to detail and customer service.

Contador said: “We built Founders Logistics on one simple principle: treat every engine as if it were our own.” He said B&H’s global network and 24/7 operational capabilities will let Founders extend its reach and offer broader international logistics services while keeping the specialist expertise and personalized service its customers expect. He added that Founders looks forward to working with B&H to further develop its aircraft engine transportation and management capabilities around the world.

How the deal fits B&H’s buy-and-build plan

B&H was established in the United Kingdom in 1988 and, by its own description, has focused exclusively on aviation and aerospace logistics for more than three decades. It serves airlines, MRO providers, aircraft parts stockists, lessors, defense operators and OEMs, operating 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Its About page lists aircraft engines among the shipments it handles, alongside specialist avionics components, rotables and consumables.

In a press release dated March 26, 2026, Sun European Partners said one of its affiliates had completed an investment in B&H, extending the firm’s buy-and-build portfolio. Sun European, whose affiliates have invested in more than 570 companies worldwide since 1995, said it looked forward to working with Allen and his team on mergers and acquisitions in aviation logistics and other specialist logistics areas. Allen, then CEO and a shareholder, said the backing would let B&H keep investing in its staff, capabilities and customer services. A portfolio page published by Sun Capital Partners lists B&H Worldwide with the status “Actively seeking add-on acquisitions.”

B&H’s leadership has changed since that investment. According to a B&H announcement published by the ADS trade association on August 24, 2026, Matt Silverberg was appointed Chief Executive Officer with immediate effect, succeeding Allen, who became Chairman and Board Advisor after 13 years as CEO. Silverberg is based in the United States and leads the company’s global operations and strategic growth initiatives, while Allen provides strategic direction from Singapore. The announcement said Silverberg’s track record includes revenue growth through both organic expansion and strategic acquisitions.

Engine transport draws more specialist offerings

B&H is not the only logistics group building a dedicated engine business. In a press release on October 29, 2026, FedEx announced a dedicated logistics solution for main-deck aircraft engines and oversized aerospace components. As AirPro News reported in its coverage of the FedEx engine logistics launch, that service formalizes operations that had moved hundreds of engines since June 2025.

The B&H release leaves several questions open for operators, lessors and MRO shops. It does not say how many engines Founders Logistics moves each year, how many people it employs or where in the United States it is based, and it gives no timeline for the integrated service.