Rival Engine Makers Set Up Joint Saudi Shop

Hot rivals in many markets, Pratt & Whitney and Rolls-Royce are partners in Saudi Arabia where, with the national airline Saudia, they are currently restructuring their jointly-owned Middle East Propulsion to become an overhaul and repair facility.

The facility, scheduled to become operational within the next few weeks, will provide both scheduled and unscheduled maintenance for F100-PW-220 and PW-299 engine modules to assist the Royal Saudi Air Force achieve a high state of readiness for its F-15 fighter fleet. Ultimately the Riyadh-based company will expand into the overhaul of other partner products-including the engines of its Tornado fighter bombers and commercial aircraft.

P&W says the establishment of the MEPC shop will be a major step in the RSAF's obtaining total in-Kingdom support for the engines of its F-15s. It will also handle the P&WC engines in the RSAF's Pilatus PC-9 trainer and Agusta AB212 helicopter fleets.

P&W's relationship with the Government of Saudi Arabia began as long ago as 1945 when President Roosevelt gave King Abdul Aziz a DC-3 powered with P&W Twin Wasps.

By Bob Rodwell