AAR Signs Multi-Year Airbus Radome Repair Agreement Across Asia-Pacific

Global aviation aftermarket solutions provider AAR Corp announced on 9 November 2026 that it has finalized a multi-year agreement with Airbus Avionics, designating the company as an official Airbus-approved repair station for commercial radomes across the Asia-Pacific region, excluding mainland China.

The strategic agreement establishes AAR as an authorized maintenance provider for the complete portfolio of Airbus commercial aircraft radome assemblies. Radomes are the aerodynamically contoured, dielectric composite nose cones that house and protect weather radar antennas, radio altimeters, and forward collision-avoidance avionics from atmospheric debris, erosion, and harsh flight environments while ensuring unobstructed radar beam transmission.

Scope of the Radome Maintenance Agreement

Under the terms of the authorization, AAR will perform comprehensive structural restoration, moisture ingress remediation, composite rebuilding, and microwave transmissivity testing on nose radomes installed on Airbus commercial types. Because radomes operate at the very front of the aircraft, they are frequently subjected to hail damage, bird strikes, lightning discharges, and leading-edge paint erosion that can alter dielectric properties and degrade radar resolution if repaired improperly.

The agreement allows airlines operating Airbus fleets throughout the Asia-Pacific theater to access factory-approved repair procedures locally. Technicians will carry out structural composite laminations and post-repair tuning using OEM-certified engineering data, returning high-value assemblies to airworthy condition in accordance with stringent Airbus structural and electrical specifications.

Expansion of Proprietary Airbus Capabilities

The radome pact represents an important expansion of AAR's long-established working partnership with Airbus. The Illinois-based MRO specialist already maintains approved repair authority covering an extensive inventory of proprietary Airbus primary structural flight surfaces and aerostructures, including wingtip sharklets, rudders, elevators, and leading-edge slats.

Nicholas Gross, AAR's Senior Vice President of Government Programs and Component MRO, highlighted the strategic importance of the expanded cooperation: "AAR values our decade-long relationship with Airbus and continues to enhance our capabilities to support the growing fleet across the Asia-Pacific region." Gross noted that the agreement meaningfully broadens AAR's OEM-approved component repair portfolio and reinforces the company's positioning as a single-source provider of proprietary maintenance services across key international markets.

Component MRO Network and Regional Footprint

The radome maintenance programme will be integrated into AAR's Component MRO division, which operates within the company's Repair, Engineering, and Software business segment. AAR's global component maintenance network manages over 32,000 active aircraft and engine part numbers across its worldwide repair stations, delivering overhauls for airframe accessories, thrust reversers, cowlings, landing gear doors, and aerodynamic flight controls.

In the rapidly expanding Asia-Pacific aviation market, airlines have faced mounting supply chain friction and extended overhaul turnaround times when sourcing structural spare parts. Securing an approved regional hub for radome repairs reduces the necessity of shipping large composite structures across continents, helping operators lower logistics costs and shorten ground times during scheduled heavy maintenance checks or unscheduled bird-strike repairs.

Supply Chain Resilience and Turnaround Efficiencies

Radomes present unique logistics challenges for commercial airlines due to their physical dimensions, susceptibility to handling damage, and the requirement for specialized radio-frequency testing chambers following structural repairs. Establishing certified regional repair capabilities ensures that airlines can maintain fleet reliability while preserving critical radar attenuation tolerances.

By combining Airbus Avionics technical support with AAR's regional maintenance footprint, the agreement delivers enhanced supply chain predictability to Airbus operators in Asia-Pacific. The initiative supports both legacy A320 and A330 airframes as well as modern A321neo and A350 aircraft, ensuring continuous engineering lifecycle support as regional passenger fleets continue their post-pandemic expansion.