Johor’s homegrown aircraft maker Aeronas secures RM357 million order as state eyes regional aerospace hub status

JOHOR: A homegrown Malaysian aircraft manufacturer is putting Johor on the map as a potential regional base for light-aircraft manufacturing, with Aeronas Aerocraft Sdn Bhd securing a RM357 million (S$112.5 million) order for 50 light aircraft from a Hong Kong-based consortium. This commercial milestone highlights the company’s ambitions to move beyond aerospace components and MRO into complete aircraft production.

This represents a significant step for a Malaysian company attempting to climb the aerospace value chain, and has drawn the attention of Johor’s state government as evidence that high-value aerospace manufacturing is achievable within the state.

State government backing

Johor Investment, Trade, Consumer Affairs and Human Resources Committee Chairman Lee Ting Han visited Aeronas Aerocraft’s facility and described what he saw as a demonstration of aerospace’s potential as a high-value growth sector for Johor.

“What caught my attention was the huge potential of this sector to become one of the high-value industries capable of contributing to Johor’s economic growth,” he said, adding that Johor’s strategy was not simply to attract investment but to ensure it translated into skilled jobs and stronger local expertise.

“We want to attract investment, and also ensure that such investments create high-skilled employment opportunities and build the expertise of Johoreans,” he added, as quoted by Invest Johor, citing the New Straits Times (NST)

Aeronas currently operates a semi-production facility in Iskandar Puteri, where work is focused on refurbishing its first aircraft ahead of its maiden test flight. The existing facility is capable of producing up to 30 aircraft per year.

Managing Director and CEO Raja Shazreen Petra Raja Azman Shah Petra said a planned full-scale manufacturing facility would raise capacity to 60 aircraft per year for each production line, doubling current capacity and enabling the company to fulfil larger commercial orders.

The broader economic footprint

The significance of Aeronas to Johor’s industrial ambitions goes beyond the aircraft themselves. Raja Shazreen said the expansion would generate business for local companies involved in engineering, components, logistics, maintenance, and aviation support services, creating a wider aerospace value chain across the state.

According to Invest Johor, at full production, the aerospace ecosystem could generate up to 20,000 jobs, including approximately 450 high-skilled direct positions and an estimated 3,000 additional roles in logistics, support services, and related industries. The high-skilled positions are currently led by Malaysian talent, including electrical and structural engineering teams and avionics and components engineering specialists.

Why this matters

Aeronas’ presence in Iskandar Puteri adds aerospace manufacturing to Johor’s industrial portfolio that complements the data centre, semiconductor, and advanced manufacturing investments that have dominated JS-SEZ headlines.

 A domestically owned aircraft manufacturer with export orders and a credible expansion roadmap is precisely the kind of high-value, locally anchored business that distinguishes a genuinely industrialising economy from one dependent on foreign-owned facilities. It also helps strengthen Johor’s case as a regional aerospace hub alongside its existing MRO capabilities.

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