Air Arabia has confirmed orders for CFM56-5B engines to power its fleet of 44 Airbus A320 aircraft.

The order, originally announced in July 2010, will more than double the airlines’ CFM56-5B powered A320 fleet.

The CFM56-5B features an improved engine control unit (ECU) and control processing unit (CPU), and boasts the highest fan pressure ratio in the CFM56 family.

The airline currently operates a total fleet of 23 CFM56-5B-powered A320s.

The engines are due to be delivered from later this year.