Boeing opened the Dubai Airshow with a nearly $100 billion sales day that culminated in more than 200 orders, options, and purchase rights across its airliner product lines. The contracts included a firm order from Emirates Airline for ninety 777X and five 787 Dreamliner widebodies, as well a commitment from FlyDubai for thirty 787s.

The widebody commitments from Emirates and FlyDubai followed word of another lucrative contract from SunExpress Airlines covering up to ninety 787 Max narrowbodies, 45 of which were firm; EgyptAir for 18 leased 737-8 Maxes; Royal Jordanian for nine 787s, three of which will be on lease; and Royal Air Maroc for two 787s

Boeing will soon fly the third F-15EX Eagle II development aircraft for the U.S. Air Force, having rolled out the fighter from its St. Louis factory in August. That event occurred more than two years since the first two F-15EXs went to the U.S. Air Force in early 2021 to begin testing.

While Boeing attributed some of the delay to supply chain issues, the urgent nature of the USAF’s program was the main reason. The initial aircraft—EX-1 and EX-2—were Advanced Eagle airframes already in production for Qatar but reassigned to the U.S. Air Force to get testing underway at the earliest possible date.

Among the exhibits making their first international air show appearance during Dubai Airshow 2023 is the Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC)/Chengdu JF-17 Thunder Block III multirole fighter. The first batch of the modernized variant entered service with the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) at the start of March, joining No. 16 “Black Panthers” Squadron. One of them appears on static display at Dubai, where it is accompanied by a pair of Block II aircraft that are sharing flying display duties. The static aircraft carries a range of stores of Chinese and U.S./Pakistani origin, including the C-802AK anti-ship missile and ASEL targeting pod.

PAC—which is responsible for final assembly and 58 percent of construction—has built 50 Block I aircraft and 62 in Block II, the first of which entered service in 2010 and the last of which went to the PAF in June 2019. Both versions feature the Chinese KLJ-7 X-band mechanically scanned radar. The Block II introduced several improvements, including inflight refueling capability. Included in the Block II production run are 26 JF-17B two-seaters, the first four of which Chengdu in China completed.

Edge Group’s prominent position in the Dubai Airshow’s exhibition hall not only reflects the company’s importance to the UAE’s export base but highlights its commitment to localization as part of the “Make in the Emirates” initiative. Established to integrate a combination of activities under one corporate umbrella, Abu Dhabi-based Edge now maintains a corporate footprint on five continents, among which its export sales account for some 35 percent of its revenues.

According to Edge Group international business director Miles Chambers, although the UAE still accounts for the company’s biggest market, it maintains competitive advantages internationally thanks to three key areas of emphasis. “One is autonomous systems,” said Chambers. “A second is smart munitions. And an important third is electronic warfare.”

Latvian flag carrier AirBaltic placed a firm order for thirty Airbus 220-300s at the Dubai Airshow, bringing its total orders for the airplane to 80. The deal includes purchase rights for an additional 20 aircraft.

Founded in 1995, the airline, based in four northern European cities, has a fleet of 44 aircraft and expects to take its 50th next year, according to CEO Martin Gauss. “The first aircraft from the new order is coming in the fourth quarter of 2026,” he said.