Trent 700 MRO Expansion: Sanad And Rolls-Royce Sign Extended Agreement

Sanad, owned by Mubadala Investment Company PJSC, has agreed a major expansion of Trent 700 maintenance work with Rolls-Royce, announced during the Singapore Air Show 2025. The enlarged programme runs to 2031 and strengthens Abu Dhabi’s role in global aviation services, while supporting rising demand from Airbus A330 operators worldwide.

The new deal covers up to 612 Trent 700 engine shop visits through 2031, adding 277 visits beyond Sanad’s current commitment. This secures long-term MRO capacity for the Trent 700, which powers more than 60 percent of the world’s Airbus A330 fleet and remains central to many airlines’ medium-haul operations.

Across the global fleet, more than 1,400 Trent 700 engines are in service, generating over 250 shop visits each year. To illustrate the scale of activity and projected growth under the new partnership, key figures for the Trent 700 programme and Sanad’s role are shown below in structured form.

The partnership between Sanad and Rolls-Royce dates back to 2012, giving more than a decade of operational experience on the Trent 700. During this period, Sanad has serviced over 200 Trent 700 engines for more than 25 operators, becoming one of Rolls-Royce’s most trusted independent providers of MRO services.

To handle the additional shop visits, Sanad will use its existing MRO and test-cell infrastructure in Abu Dhabi and is planning further upgrades. The company will invest AED125 million (US$34 million) in new tooling, automation and advanced machinery, while recruiting over 300 high-skilled professionals to expand technical capacity.

This hiring drive supports Sanad’s long-term Emiratisation and talent-development plans, adding to the UAE’s specialist aerospace workforce. The expanded Trent 700 activity also strengthens Abu Dhabi’s position as a maintenance centre for airlines flying the Airbus A330, reinforcing the emirate’s role in regional aviation supply chains.

The agreement comes as passenger and cargo traffic continue to recover across global aviation. Many Airbus A330 operators are extending aircraft life cycles and converting passenger jets into freighters to meet logistics demand, which keeps the Trent 700 central to fleet plans and increases long-term MRO requirements.

Sanad’s leadership highlighted the level of confidence from Rolls-Royce in the new arrangement. Mansoor Janahi, Managing Director and Group CEO of Sanad, said, "This landmark agreement reinforces Rolls-Royce’s confidence in Sanad’s ability to deliver world-class MRO solutions at scale. Over more than a decade of partnership, we’ve proven our commitment to performance, precision, and innovation."

Rolls-Royce underlined how the deal supports its wider aftermarket strategy. Paul Keenan, Director of Commercial Aviation Aftermarket Operations at Rolls-Royce, said, "Sanad’s increase in Trent 700 capacity not only cements their position as the largest independent Trent 700 provider worldwide but also reinforces our ambition to significantly increase our global MRO capacity by 2030."

The expanded collaboration is one of the largest Trent 700 MRO agreements in recent years and further consolidates Sanad as the largest independent Trent 700 MRO provider worldwide. It supports Abu Dhabi’s aim to grow as a hub for aerospace expertise and aligns with the UAE’s plans for high-tech manufacturing, innovation and sustainability in strategic industries.

With inputs from WAM