Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University provided a cybersecurity course to aviation and defense professionals at Gulf Air’s Gulf Air Academy (GAA) Training Center in Bahrain, marking the university's first training at the center in the Kingdom of Bahrain.

Justin Pettit, a professor at Embry-Riddle Worldwide, led the course titled “Understanding Cybersecurity.” 

Conducted under a commercial training agreement between Embry-Riddle and Gulf Air, the course was held in February and included 20 professionals from across Bahrain's aviation and defense sectors, including Gulf Air Academy, Gulf Air, Bahrain Royal Flight, Bahrain Civil Aviation Affairs and the Bahrain Defense Force. All 20 participants successfully completed the course.

Luis E. Alcaraz, manager of Business Strategies for the Worldwide Campus, said the professional diversity of participants highlights the Kingdom's commitment to strengthening aviation cybersecurity, an area of growing strategic importance.

The course's delivery coincided with Embry-Riddle’s centennial year and with Gulf Air's 75th anniversary, providing a meaningful backdrop for a collaboration that honors both institutions' legacies and invests in the future of aviation in the region.

Captain Qasim AlBastaki, Chief Operating Officer of Gulf Air and Accountable Manager of Gulf Air Academy, said, “We are proud to collaborate with Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University to deliver specialized cybersecurity training for aviation and defense professionals in Bahrain. As cyber resilience becomes increasingly critical to the safe and secure operation of the aviation sector, this course provides participants with practical knowledge to identify and respond to evolving risks. Gulf Air Academy remains committed to offering high-quality, targeted training programs that support professional capability and strengthen the wider aviation ecosystem.”

Recent meetings among senior leaders at both companies affirmed shared training priorities and supported the expansion of the university’s programs in Bahrain.

“The collaboration between Embry-Riddle and its partners in Bahrain reflects a shared commitment to building a future-ready aviation workforce,” said Dr. John R. Watret, chancellor of Embry-Riddle Worldwide. “Through the delivery of specialized programs such as this, Embry-Riddle continues to contribute to the advancement of operational resilience and professional capability across Bahrain and the wider Middle East and North Africa region.”

Building on this collaboration, Gulf Air Academy is also developing additional specialized language programs to support aviation professionals across the region. These initiatives reflect the Academy’s continued commitment to strengthening workforce capability and advancing aviation training in the Middle East.

About Gulf Air

Gulf Air, the national carrier of the Kingdom of Bahrain and the first national carrier in the GCC, was established in 1950. Today, the airline operates to more than 50 destinations across the GCC, Asia, Europe, America, and the Indian Subcontinent. Gulf Air has been recognized as a “Five-Star Major Airline” by APEX for the year 2026, and its fleet comprises 10 Boeing 787 aircraft and 34 Airbus A320/A321 aircraft.