BAe Systems has announced that it will sell global depositary receipts representing about an 8% shareholding in Air Astana (KC, Astana Nursultan Nazarbayev) through an accelerated bookbuild process. The transaction will effectively halve the manufacturer's stake in the Kazakh carrier, as it currently holds around 16.9%. BAe Systems partnered with the government of Kazakhstan to launch Air Astana in 2001 and initially held a 49% stake. The shareholding was diluted to its current level during the airline's 2024 initial public offering.