Bahrain’s Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa has secured a deal for Gulf Air to acquire 18 Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft fitted with General Electric engines, marking a departure from the carrier’s previous reliance on Rolls‑Royce engines.
At a meeting held in Washington with U. S. President Donald Trump, the agreement was signed alongside a broader $17 billion suite of investments from Bahrain in the United States. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick estimated the aviation component alone at around $7 billion, with support for some 30,000 American jobs. The state-run Bahrain News Agency confirmed that all 18 aircraft will be supplied under the deal.
Under terms agreed with Boeing and GE Aerospace, 12 of the 787s will be delivered as firm orders, with options to add a further six jets. Additionally, the arrangement includes up to 40 GE engines. Based on precedents, analysts estimate the aircraft element to be worth approximately $2.8 billion.
This marks Gulf Air’s first significant pivot away from Rolls‑Royce, which currently powers its fleet of 10 Dreamliners. Gulf Air CEO Jeffrey Goh has previously expressed concerns about the Rolls‑Royce Trent 1000’s reliability issues, indicating this switch may enhance operational stability and reduce maintenance overheads.
Industry observers note such engine shifts are not uncommon. The Boeing 787 was designed with interchangeable engine interfaces to accommodate either GE’s GEnx or Rolls‑Royce’s Trent 1000, simplifying transitions between manufacturers.
The deal coincides with Gulf Air’s strategic expansion, including resuming direct flights to New York’s JFK from October, operated by the new 787‑9 aircraft. With plans to grow its network by 25 percent over five years, the carrier aims to boost connectivity to major financial and leisure hubs.
U. S. Commerce Secretary Lutnick celebrated the sale, calling it a testament to American industrial and technological strength. Meanwhile, Crown Prince Salman stressed the authenticity of the deal, stating, “These aren’t fake deals,” and describing Gulf Air’s move as both a fleet modernisation and a strategic step for Bahrain’s aviation ambitions.
Beyond aviation, Bahrain pledged further investments in U. S. energy, technology, manufacturing, and security sectors. These include initiatives to enhance domestic aluminium production, LNG output, AI chip partnerships, and server infrastructure supported by firms like Oracle and Cisco. A memorandum of understanding on commercial nuclear power development was also signed.
The announcement follows a wave of Gulf deals brokered during Trump’s Middle East diplomacy. In May, Qatar placed Boeing orders valued at $96 billion across wide-body fleets, Saudi Arabia committed $600 billion in U. S. investment pledges, while the UAE agreed to a $14.5 billion order for Boeing 787 and 777X jets.
Gulf Air’s move to GE engines aligns with efforts to enhance reliability and streamline maintenance—a shift driven by enduring technical issues with the Trent 1000 that had led to flight cancellations and frequency reductions. GE’s GEnx engines are noted for improved fuel efficiency, lower parts count, extended on-wing time, and reduced maintenance needs—reportedly 15 percent more fuel-efficient than their CF6 predecessors.
As part of the larger economic package, Bahrain’s king is scheduled to visit Washington later this year to finalise the agreements and reinforce the partnership with the United States.
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