Abu dhabi: Dubai Aerospace Enterprise (DAE) Ltd on Wednesday announced that it had completed the previously announced acquisition of 100 percent of the outstanding share capital of Macquarie AirFinance Limited and its consolidated subsidiaries (MAF). The enterprise value is approximately US$9.0 billion, including the impact of changes to MAF's fleet between announcing the transaction and closing.
According to Emirates News Agency, DAE now boasts a fleet of approximately 1,000 owned, managed, and committed aircraft. The owned and managed fleet is on lease to over 175 airlines in more than 75 countries. In addition, DAE has commitments to acquire roughly 150 aircraft from Boeing, Airbus, ATR, and trading counterparties.
Firoz Tarapore, Chief Executive Officer of DAE, expressed that the acquisition marks another significant milestone in the company's journey. "With a track record of successful transformational acquisitions, the closing of MAF marks another milestone on our journey. Our current fleet size makes us the third-largest lessor globally, both by fleet value and number of owned and managed aircraft," he stated.
The transaction also enhances DAE's relationships with major aircraft manufacturers. "This transaction also allows us to deepen our long-standing relationships with Boeing and Airbus. Delivery slots on our orderbook now extend into the 2030s, giving us the flexibility to better support our airline customers' fleet requirements," Tarapore added.
Initially announced in February 2026, the acquisition process involved advisement from Allen Overy Shearman Sterling LLP and KPMG.