Dubai Aerospace Enterprise (DAE) Ltd and Blackstone Credit & Insurance (BXCI) have entered into partnership to launch a new long-term global aircraft investment program, branded ‘Equator,’ to build a diversified portfolio of commercial aircraft leased to airlines worldwide.
The newly formed platform is expected to deploy approximately $1.6 billion annually, marking a significant expansion in aircraft asset-backed investment.
Equator will focus on acquiring commercial aircraft that are already on lease to leading international airlines, creating a stable, income-generating portfolio backed by hard aviation assets.
Under the agreement, DAE will source aircraft assets from third-party sellers, while its Aircraft Investor Services (AIS) division will manage the assets owned by Equator.
The partnership combines DAE’s deep aviation leasing expertise with Blackstone’s large-scale capital capabilities, creating a platform designed to capitalize on rising long-term demand for aircraft leasing investments.
Firoz Tarapore Chief Executive Officer DAE
“Blackstone’s scaled and flexible capital provides a strong foundation to grow our third-party fleet management franchise. Our fleet size, global customer and counterparty reach, and dedicated client support team make DAE uniquely positioned to support Equator’s long-term success. The partnership brings together DAE’s operational strength and BXCI’s investment expertise to create a meaningful and scalable aircraft portfolio.”
For BXCI, the Equator platform reflects a broader strategy of deploying capital into high-quality, asset-backed sectors that generate resilient long-term returns.
Aneek Mamik, Senior Managing Director and Head of Financial Services for Asset Based Finance at BXCI, noted that, “We are pleased to expand our aviation capabilities alongside DAE, a leading aircraft lessor with deep technical expertise and longstanding relationships with airlines and OEMs. The program demonstrates BXCI’s continued focus on flexible capital deployment into durable investments supported by tangible hard assets.”
BXCI will provide a full spectrum of financing for the program, ensuring stable and adaptable funding across different market cycles.
The investor group backing Equator will also include capital from funds managed by ITE Management, L.P., a strategic BXCI partner.
DAE enters the partnership from a position of considerable market strength. As of December 31, 2025, the Dubai-based aviation giant managed approximately 700 aircraft, including more than 100 aircraft under management valued at over $4 billion.
The company is among the world’s largest aircraft lessors and currently acts as servicer under seventeen aircraft servicing and management agreements for institutional and financial investors.
The launch of Equator comes at a time when global aviation is witnessing renewed fleet demand, driven by airline expansion, replacement cycles for aging aircraft, and rising passenger traffic in emerging markets.
Aircraft leasing has become an increasingly attractive investment class for institutional investors due to its long-term contracted cash flows, global asset mobility, and strong collateral value.
BXCI’s Infrastructure and Asset-Based Credit Group manages more than $100 billion in assets, supported by over 90 investment professionals as of year-end 2025. Its investment platform spans infrastructure, commercial finance, fund finance, consumer lending, and real estate credit.
With Equator, BXCI further deepens its position in transportation finance while gaining exposure to one of the most strategically important sectors in global asset-backed investing.
