Airbus Says Committed To Grow Its Industrial Footprint In Malaysia's Defence, Aerospace Sectors

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 21 (Bernama) -- Global aircraft manufacturer Airbus has reaffirmed Malaysia’s importance as a key market for its commercial aircraft, defence and space businesses, underscoring its long term commitment to supporting the country’s aerospace sector through strong industrial collaboration.

“While we have extensive collaborations with Malaysian industry on our commercial aircraft programmes, we have equally strong partnerships in the defence sector. These include the deepening of the local defence eco-system to accelerate technology and knowledge transfer, the expansion of industrial self-reliance, and the strengthening of Malaysia’s strategic defence capabilities,” Zakir Hamid, its head of Asia-Pacific, Airbus Defence and Space, said in a statement today.

Zakir also said the partnership with Malaysia was also unique through the breadth of collaboration, spanning fleet modernisation, defence cooperation, local industrial participation, and skills development, making Airbus a strategic partner and a key contributor to local industrialisation.

Furthermore, he noted that  Airbus is also expanding its research and technology footprint in Malaysia through the Aerospace Malaysia Innovation Centre (AMIC), an industrial research institute co-led by Airbus.

“AMIC undertakes collaborative research and technology (R&T) projects with industry and universities, providing a clear pathway from research to market. We are proud of the mutually beneficial partnerships we have built in Malaysia and look forward to further expanding our presence while supporting the continued growth of Malaysia’s aerospace ecosystem,” he added.

Malaysia is Airbus’ largest supplier base in Southeast Asia, with the company procuring an estimated RM1.5 billion worth of commodities annually and supporting about 5,000 direct and indirect jobs.

Today, parts ‘Made in Malaysia’ are flying on nearly every Airbus aircraft in production, with more than 300 Airbus commercial aircraft currently in service with Malaysian airlines, and close to 400 additional aircraft on order.

-- BERNAMA