Key facts
- HAECO, Japan Airlines, and Toyota Tsusho are forming a joint venture with Sun Group to establish an aircraft maintenance facility in Vietnam.
- The new complex will be built at Van Don International Airport and represents a $360 million investment.
- The facility is designed to be one of Vietnam's largest, covering around 170,000 square meters.
- It will feature a four-bay wide-body hangar capable of accommodating narrow-body aircraft.
- The project is anticipated to generate over 1,000 skilled jobs and foster local talent development.
A significant joint venture involving HAECO, Japan Airlines, and Toyota Tsusho, alongside Vietnam's Sun Group, is set to construct a $360 million aircraft maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) complex at Van Don International Airport. This initiative marks a substantial foreign investment aimed at bolstering Vietnam's aviation sector and increasing its self-reliance in maintenance capabilities.
The planned facility, one of Vietnam's largest MRO centers, will span approximately 170,000 square meters and feature a four-bay wide-body hangar, with flexibility for narrow-body aircraft. The project is expected to create over 1,000 highly skilled jobs and develop a local talent pipeline through structured training programs. HAECO is already preparing Vietnamese personnel at its Xiamen facilities.
This development aligns with Vietnam's broader strategy to enhance its aviation infrastructure, including the new Long Thanh International Airport, which is also slated to include significant maintenance capacity. HAECO plans to integrate advanced digital tools and AI into the operations, offering employees opportunities to gain expertise in modern aviation technologies.
The partnership is seen as a crucial step for Vietnam's aviation industry, which has historically relied on overseas providers despite rapid market growth. The new complex aims to reverse this trend, supporting both domestic and international carriers.