Donald Trump has announced more than $200 billion in total deals between the United States and the United Arab Emirates, including a $14.5 billion commitment between Boeing, GE Aerospace and Etihad Airways.
The White House said Thursday that Boeing and GE received a commitment from Etihad Airlines to invest in 28 US-made Boeing 787s and 777 times more aircraft to buy 28 Boeing aircraft with GE engines.
“By including the next-generation 777x in the fleet plan, this investment deepens the long-standing commercial aviation partnership between the UAE and the United States, promoting American manufacturing and driving exports,” the White House said.
Etihad CEO Antonoaldo Neves said last month that the airline plans to add 20-22 new planes to its fleet of around 100 aircraft this year.
Etihad, owned by Abu Dhabi’s $225 billion wealth fund ADQ, has undergone multi-year restructuring and management reforms, but is expanding under Neves.
He said 10 of this year’s new aircraft are the Airbus A321LRS, which will be launched by the carrier on Monday and will open in August. The rest includes six Airbus A350s and four Boeing 787s.
The news follows Wednesday’s announcement that Boeing has landed its largest deal on widebody planes after securing $96 billion worth of Boeing jet orders from Qatar.
As the US president approaches the end of his multi-day tour in the Middle East, deal production takes place. The controversy went on a visit after the president announced earlier this week that he planned to accept a $400 million luxury jumbo jet from the Qatar government and raised many ethical concerns.
Since then, Trump has doubled his plans to accept the plane as a new Air Force, and has finally moved it to his presidential library. “We are the United States of America, and I think we should have the most impressive plane,” he said Wednesday.