Shymkent Launches Construction of Central Asia's Largest Aircraft Maintenance Hub

A ceremonial cornerstone-laying event has marked the official start of construction for a major new aircraft maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) center in Shymkent. The project is being developed by Kazakh airline SCAT in partnership with the American aerospace corporation Boeing.

The initiative gained international momentum during a working visit by the Head of State to the United States, where prospects for expanding strategic cooperation, including this MRO project, were discussed with Boeing's leadership.

The ceremony was attended by Shymkent's Akim Gabit Syzdykbekov, Vice Minister of Transport Talgat Lastayev, and Boeing's Vice President of Commercial Sales and Marketing Paul Righi.

Upon completion, the new complex will become the largest facility for aircraft technical servicing and repair in Central Asia and a key infrastructure project for Kazakhstan's aviation industry.

The center is designed as a modern, full-cycle production facility focused on servicing Boeing aircraft. Its capabilities will cover models from the Boeing 737 family (Classic, NG, and MAX), Boeing 757/767 models, with future plans to include wide-body Boeing 777 aircraft. In connection with this development, additional Boeing aircraft are planned for procurement.

The complex will occupy a 10-hectare site. The total area of its engineering and technical infrastructure will exceed 45,000 square meters, including an apron parking area for aircraft spanning more than 6 hectares. The construction plans involve building at least 15 high-tech facilities.

The project's implementation aims to establish a modern, internationally competitive service base within Kazakhstan. This hub is expected to attract foreign airlines for maintenance work, expand industry expertise, and create new high-skilled jobs.