Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) has signed an agreement to convert four B777-300ER passenger aircraft to cargo configuration for Emirates.

The aircraft will be converted at the new site established in Etihad Engineering’s MRO centre in Abu Dhabi, and the first conversion of the Emirates plane is expected to begin in early 2023.

The agreement has potential to provide passenger-to-freighter conversion services to more aircraft.

Dubai-based Emirates is the largest operator of B777-300ER aircraft in the world and Emirates SkyCargo is a leading player in the global air cargo industry. This agreement between IAI, the global leader in the cargo conversion industry, and the cargo division of Emirates is a testament to the strong ties between IAI and the UAE.

“IAI is proud to partner with the brightest minds in the region to create solutions to the global demand for cargo aircraft,” said IAI CEO & President, Boaz Levy. “IAI, the world’s leader in cargo conversions, is currently converting the first B777-300ER aircraft, together with GECAS, in order to provide the most optimal solution for the rise in e-commerce. Emirates’ decision to select IAI for the conversion of its passenger aircraft to cargo configuration is a testament to IAI’s professional capabilities and IAI’s longstanding international recognition in the field.”

H.H. Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman and Chief Executive, Emirates Airline and Group, said, “The last two years have put the spotlight on the importance of supply chain connectivity and the availability of air cargo capacity to global communities and economies. Emirates plays a key role in making essential goods available to customers and consumers globally through the capacity available on our wide-body fleet, the reach of our global network, and the advanced infrastructure at our Dubai hub. Today, we are delighted to announce an investment to further expand our freighter capacity. This underscores our commitment to supporting our customers’ requirements, and reflects our confidence in our future growth and status as one of the largest airline cargo carriers in the world.”

Israel Aerospace Industries’ Aviation Group, the home of aviation in Israel, unites all activity in aircraft piloted by humans: maintenance (MRO), business jets, converting passenger jets to cargo configuration, hangars and aviation arrays, aircraft upgrading and more. With knowledge and accumulated experience in aviation spanning almost 70 years of the company’s existence, excellent human capital and groundbreaking technologies, the group is in line with the world’s leading aviation companies. Among its clients are some of the world’s leading companies, like Amazon, DHL, Lockheed Martin, Boeing, Gulfstream and more.