Tajikistan’s Somon Air selects Rolls-Royce for future 787s

Image: Rolls-Royce

Tajikistan’s leading airline, Somon Air, has selected Rolls-Royce Trent 1000 XE engines to power its future fleet of wide-body Boeing 787-9 aircraft. The MoU was announced on July 21 at the Farnborough Airshow 2026.

Last November in Washington, D.C., the Tajik carrier signed a letter of intent to acquire up to four Dreamliners, though these aircraft are not yet reflected in the U.S. manufacturer’s official backlog. Rolls-Royce clarified that in the initial phase, Somon Air will purchase four engines to equip two 787s.

“We look forward to growing our widebody fleet with the perfect combination of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner and the Trent 1000 XE. Together with TotalCare, which gives us clear transparency and predictability in how these engines operate and are serviced, this agreement allows us to take another step forward in building our network strength with the necessary confidence and fleet stability,” said Abdulkosim Valiev, Chief Executive Officer, Somon Air.

Ewen McDonald, Chief Customer Officer at Rolls-Royce, characterized Somon Air’s decision as “a further vote of confidence from the market ” in the Trent 1000 XE.

“Enabled by our ongoing transformation, [this updated version of the engine] has enhancements that offer up to triple time on wing, reduced maintenance and greater certainty in fleet planning,” he noted.

A key element of the XE upgrade package is an enhanced high-pressure turbine. Specifically, according to the manufacturer, redesigning the turbine blade has increased cooling airflow by 40%, boosting time between overhauls by up to three times compared to the baseline version.

In parallel, Rolls-Royce is investing in expanding its global MRO network and increasing its worldwide pool of spare engines. These steps are being implemented as part of a comprehensive £1 billion program to upgrade and develop the Trent engine family.

The deal with Somon Air matters for Rolls-Royce, as two other major carriers in Central Asia have yet to select engines for their upcoming Boeing 787s — Kazakhstan’s Air Astana (up to 15 aircraft) and Uzbekistan’s Uzbekistan Airways (up to 22 aircraft).

While Somon Air currently dominates the Tajik market, a new competitor may soon emerge. Startup carrier Shohin Airlines recently signed an agreement with Airbus for four A320neo family aircraft.

CentralAsia+ Aero earlier reported: Somon Air clarifies delivery timeline for Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft.