Bridgepoint, GFH and AIP Capital Launch Partnership to Build $1 Billion+ Commercial Aircraft Engine Portfolio

Bridgepoint, GFH Bank and AIP Capital have announced a partnership to acquire next-generation commercial aircraft engines, with the aim of building a diversified portfolio worth more than US$1 billion. GFH, a Bahrain-headquartered banking and investment institution with over $25 billion in assets and funds under management, joins as a strategic partner and cornerstone investor, committing significant capital alongside a substantial commitment from Bridgepoint funds. The move marks GFH's entry into the aviation sector.

The Bridgepoint and AIP Capital partnership began in 2024 with the joint acquisition of an initial portfolio of LEAP-1B engines. It has since expanded, including an agreement announced in July 2026 to purchase a further eleven LEAP-1B engines from CFM International. The partners will raise capital from institutional and private wealth investors to scale toward the $1 billion target.

The platform will hold both next-generation and current-generation engine types and lease them to airlines, maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) providers and other operators. It will invest through direct purchases from manufacturers, sale-and-leaseback transactions with airlines, secondary acquisitions and finance leases, with AIP Capital leading sourcing, asset management and trading of the portfolio.

The partners cite extended maintenance turnaround times, growing backlogs for new aircraft and sustained growth in passenger demand as drivers of demand for spare engines. They name the GCC region, home to some of the world's fastest-growing airlines and aviation hubs, as an important contributor. Bridgepoint manages $97.3 billion in assets, while AIP Capital manages approximately $7.1 billion.