GE Aerospace To Establish Aerospace Research Partnership In Singapore

SINGAPORE—GE Aerospace has announced a collaboration with local partners in Singapore that will see the engine-maker create the Singapore Partnership for Aviation & Aerospace Research and Capability (SPAARC) focused on emerging aviation technologies. 

The initiative will focus on areas including AI applications, airspace modernization, advanced aerodynamics, next-generation propulsion systems and longer-term aerospace research opportunities.

It is being established under a memorandum of understanding signed by GE, the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS), the Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB) and the International Centre for Aviation Innovation (ICAI).

SPAARC builds on GE Aerospace’s long-standing engine MRO footprint in Singapore and will operate as a distributed research unit rather than from a single physical location, reflecting its broad scope and collaboration with multiple research institutions across the country.

While Singapore already hosts collaborations in areas such as AI and air traffic management, the expansion into propulsion systems and aircraft performance research deepens the country’s aerospace research ecosystem.

Speaking to Aviation Week ahead of the summit, CAAS Director General Han Kok Juan said the industry needs platforms that enable collaboration and scaling of new technologies to build capacity for a growing global air transport market. He added that these emerging technology areas have been identified by the Singapore government as critical to maintaining the competitiveness of the aerospace ecosystem.

Han noted that SPAARC will initially leverage CAAS’ regulatory framework and its established relationships with authorities such as the  FAA and the EASA, potentially supporting the certification of new aerospace systems.

The partnership aligns with Singapore’s broader ambition to position itself as a global hub for aerospace innovation, complementing operational activities at Singapore Changi Airport with upstream research and development capabilities.