Russia’s Technodinamika, a part of state-owned Rostec, plans to open an aviation service center branch in Africa to provide local operators with parts and components for Russian- and Soviet-built aircraft, ATWonline reported.

The local representative office, which is scheduled to open in 2018, will also perform parts and components repair. Technodinamika did not disclose the exact location; however, it is expected the branch will serve Africa and Middle East operators.

According to Technodinamika deputy director Alexander Litvinov, in the first stage the African branch will provide component fault detection and a spare-parts warehouse.

“In the second stage, we will localize in Africa the repair of aviation components, which will appreciably accelerate aircraft maintenance,” Litvinov said, adding that it expects to see revenues of nearly RUB1 billion ($15.4 million) as early as 2020.

According to Technodinamika more than 1,000 Russian and Soviet-built aircraft and helicopters operate in the region.

At the end of last year, Technodinamika announced plans to open a component maintenance center near Moscow’s Vnukovo International Airport in February 2016.