Boeing, Air Works work on maintenance of P-8I warfare aircraft

American plane maker Boeing and India MRO company Air Works are currently undertaking heavy maintenance checks on three P-8I long-range maritime patrol and anti submarine warfare aircraft operated by the Indian Navy (IN) simultaneously at Air Works' facility in, Hosur.

"This dramatically increases the scope and scale of Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) undertaken in the country and demonstrates both the companies’ commitment in helping make India Aatmanirbhar in aerospace and defence. Boeing India and Air Works will commemorate their collaboration at the Boeing India Aatmanirbharta in Defence Conference being organized in New Delhi on Tuesday, May 10, 2022, with participation from dignitaries from the Indian Navy, Air Works Group, and other key supplier-partners," said a statement.

“We are proud to build on our existing collaboration with Air Works that enables us to generate significant value for our defence customers in India, and contribute towards the Government’s vision of making India an MRO hub for the region. The ongoing satisfactory execution of heavy maintenance checks on three P-8I platforms concurrently by Air Works is a remarkable achievement.” said Surendra Ahuja, managing director, Boeing Defence


Boeing’s strategic collaboration with Air Works was a the first step under the Boeing India Repair Development and Sustainment (BIRDS) hub launched last year.

The BIRDS hub entails a collaboration with key local companies and businesses to develop India into an aviation and defence repair and sustainment hub.

The Boeing and Air Works collaboration has already been enabling faster turnarounds and enhanced operational capability within the country for the country’s key defence platforms. The partnership began with the first P-8I aircraft Phase 32 checks, and has grown to include Phase 48 checks and MRO on the landing gear of the Indian Air Force’s 737 VVIP aircraft.