✈️ Top OEMs Bet on Singapore: Bombardier Expands Seletar in a Long-Term Bet on Asia-Pacific Demand
Two leading business jet manufacturers successively ramped up their aftermarket presence in Singapore in June 2026. On June 9, 2026, Bombardier announced an expansion of its Seletar Aerospace Park service center, adding approximately 250,000 square feet, with operations slated to begin in the first half of 2028. At that point, its annual support capacity will nearly double from the current scale to about 2,000 aircraft. Two days later, on June 11, Gulfstream opened a customer support office in Singapore, co-located with Jet Aviation Singapore. The progression from "establishing a presence" to "expanding capacity" confirms that the Southeast Asian fleet size has already exceeded existing capacity. However, Avi-Go data shows that from January to May 2026, business jet movements at Seletar Airport (WSSL) grew only 5.3% year-on-year (from 3,594 to 3,786 movements), while Changi Airport (WSSS) actually declined 18.6% over the same period (from 177 to 144 movements). The contrast between mild local traffic and a near-doubling of capacity underscores that this is a strategic investment betting on long-term demand.
Impact: OEMs' leading positioning in aftermarket capacity will raise the barriers to entry in the Asia-Pacific service market, with independent MROs and FBOs facing pressure from the vertical integration of top brands. However, the capacity gap before 2028 still leaves a window of opportunity for existing operators.
Recommendation: Regional MROs and service providers should lock in differentiated aircraft-type and quick-turn service positioning in the second half of 2026, avoiding head-on competition with OEMs. Fleet managers may negotiate priority scheduling agreements for the expanded Seletar capacity ahead of time within 2027, to avoid the scramble for slots during the early operational period in 2028.