PARIS AIR SHOW, Boeing [NYSE: BA] and Sikorsky Aircraft Corp. [NYSE: UTX] have formed a joint venture to compete for the support of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's rotorcraft fleet.

Contracts that the joint venture will pursue are administered by the U.S. government as part of its foreign military sales process. An equal-share joint venture, Boeing Sikorsky International Services (BSIS) will provide in-country logistics, fleet and supply-chain management, maintenance support and aircraft modifications, training for aircrews and maintainers.

Peri Widener, vice president of Boeing Rotorcraft Support and chairman of the board at Boeing Sikorsky International Services (BSIS) said: "Our two companies have a demonstrated track record of successfully teaming with each other,"

"We’ll manage this joint venture as we have our previous partnerships: by working closely with each other and communicating frequently with our customers."

David Adler, president of Sikorsky Aerospace Services (SAS), the aftermarket business of Sikorsky Aircraft, said: "This is a significant milestone in strengthening our future competitive capabilities, designed to bring better value in support of the Saudi military rotorcraft fleets.

"Drawing on our joint expertise, BSIS will compete and operate as a single-source provider of local and comprehensive sustainment for the Kingdom's rotorcraft platforms."

Both companies have decades of experience working together as well as operating in Saudi Arabia. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia operates a fleet of Boeing fixed-wing and rotorcraft platforms. Sikorsky's history of working with the Kingdom dates back to the early 1990s.

In late 2011, a conversion plan was completed to upgrade selected aircraft in the fleet – marking the second international modernization program under contract with SAS. Most recently, SAS announced plans to perform avionics and structural upgrades to certain fleet aircraft.