Dubai Aerospace Enterprise (DAE) has completed its acquisition of 100% of the outstanding share capital of Macquarie AirFinance (MAF) and its subsidiaries in a deal with an enterprise value of approximately $9 billion.

Originally announced in February 2026, the acquisition expands DAE's portfolio to around 1,000 owned, managed and committed aircraft leased to more than 175 airlines across 75 countries.

The company also has commitments to acquire approximately 150 additional aircraft from Boeing, Airbus, ATR and trading counterparties. DAE was advised on the transaction by Allen Overy Shearman Sterling LLP and KPMG.

Firoz Tarapore, Chief Executive Officer of DAE, commented: “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. We have positioned ourselves as a global leader in fleet solutions for our airline customers, delivering high quality, competitive solutions, which are further supported by our recently announced initiatives with both Blackstone and Neuberger, allowing us to provide a compelling offering across fleet lifecycles.”

Tarapore added: “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. We are excited to both welcome new airline customers to DAE Capital and expand our relationship with current airline customers as part of the transaction, and we look forward to building on the strengths of the combined business.” -TradeArabia News Service