The world's largest maker of jet engines, GE Aviation (a subsidiary of General Electric), has sealed a new $600 million deal to supply and maintain jet engines for AirAsia X, a long-haul budget carrier.

The 20-year agreement calls for AirAsia to purchase three new Airbus jets for delivery in 2012, with the option of two additional aircraft. AirAsia X is a low-cost airline of Malaysian carrier AirAsia Bhd. Last year it flew 1.92 million passengers to 14 worldwide destinations, including Tokyo, Delhi, London, Tehran and Melbourne.

Kevin McAllister, GE Aviation's general manager of global sales, said the engine will help AirAsia X maintain "one of the youngest and fuel efficient fleets in the sky."

GE Aviation is based in the north Cincinnati suburb city of Evendale, Ohio, located south of Dayton. It manufactures jet engines, components and integrated systems for commercial and military aircraft. GE Aviation has about 300 employees working in nearby Vandalia, and is building a $51 million research center at the University of Dayton according to a story in the Dayton Business Journal.

The company is major player in the well-established and thriving defense community in the Greater Dayton region, which includes SRA International Inc., MacAulay-Brown Inc., Computer Sciences Corp., General Dynamics Corp., Goodrich Corp. Aircraft Wheels and Brakes Division, Boeing Co., and Science Applications International Corp.