Bombardier Signs Firm $568 Million Order for 12 Aircraft for Saudi Arabia
Key Facts
Bombardier said on November 13 that it had signed firm purchase agreements with Saudi Arabia’s The Helicopter Company for 12 business jets worth about $568 million, based on 2026 list prices. The order includes five Challenger 3500s, five Global 5500s and two Global 8000s. The company said the deal was the largest of its kind for business jets in Saudi Arabia. The agreement paves the way for THC to establish a business aviation fleet and expand premium commercial travel services in the kingdom and the region. It also marks the company’s entry into the business aviation sector, alongside its existing operations in other areas.
The agreements turn a letter of intent signed by the two companies on July 21 at the Farnborough Airshow into a binding order, according to a Bombardier statement. The letter targeted a firm order for 12 aircraft, in addition to options to purchase 48 more. The plan could cover a total of 60 aircraft, but the options are separate from the firm order. THC plans to enter the sector through aircraft charter and management services. Chief Executive Arno Martinez said the deal was “a step toward building an integrated aviation operator for the kingdom.”
The firm aircraft comprise models with different ranges and capacities, allowing the company to cover regional and long-distance routes. The Challenger 3500 seats up to 9 passengers and has a range of 3,400 nautical miles, or 6,297 kilometers; Bombardier describes it as suited to flights within the Gulf Cooperation Council region. The Global 5500 has a range of 5,900 nautical miles, or 10,927 kilometers, and seats up to 16 passengers. The Global 8000 can travel 8,000 nautical miles, or 14,816 kilometers. Bombardier said that range allows the model to fly nonstop between Riyadh and Los Angeles.
The deal forms part of THC’s expansion from its current services into private aviation. The company said its fleet comprises more than 60 aircraft serving air ambulance, aerial work, private flights and tourism. Its new business targets growing demand for private and general aviation, which the July letter-of-intent statement linked to growth in tourism and commercial activity and the emergence of new destinations in Saudi Arabia. In a general aviation roadmap announced in May 2024, the General Authority of Civil Aviation targeted raising the sector’s contribution to gross domestic product to $2 billion by 2030, equivalent to targeted growth of 10 times. The authority also set a target for the sector’s total economic contribution of 7.8 billion riyals and more than 35,000 jobs by 2030. These targets provide the framework for expanding general and business aviation services in the kingdom.
The roadmap targets increasing business aircraft flights to 24 per 10,000 people, compared with 5 flights in 2021. It also aims to develop 6 dedicated general aviation airports and 9 general aviation terminals at commercial airports. More broadly, the General Authority of Civil Aviation said in January 2026 that the number of passengers in Saudi Arabia exceeded 140 million in 2025, up about 9% from the previous year, while the number of international destinations rose to 176. Bombardier said it had committed to a long-term strategic investment that includes a local presence in Saudi Arabia to support its partnership with THC. The statement did not specify when aircraft deliveries would begin or provide details of the local presence.
The deal comes as Bombardier reported revenue of $2.4 billion in the third quarter of 2026, up 3% year over year, including $701 million from services, and delivered 33 aircraft during the quarter. Its backlog stood at $22.2 billion on September 30, an increase of $4.7 billion compared with the end of 2025. On November 5, the company raised its 2026 free cash flow guidance to more than $1.3 billion. It also announced that it would hold an investor day on February 18, 2027. EL7 data showed BOMBF shares closed at $12.25 on November 12, the session before the agreements were announced.