MTU and Safran have formed the European Military Rotorcraft Engine Alliance to produce a powerplant for the EU Next-Generation Rotorcraft Technologies project.
Safran Helicopter Engines has won a £241 million ($305.2 million) contract to support the RTM322 engines used on the UK Royal Navy’s Merlin helicopters.
The Safran Helicopter Engines CEO says the company is maturing technologies for a new project that is “anticipating … the replacement of the Arriel engine.”
Safran’s Helicopter Engines business is working with Germany’s MTU Aero Engines to secure EDF support for an R&T program focused on rotorcraft propulsion.
Europe’s two fast-rotorcraft demonstrator projects are racing to achieve first flight before the EU’s long-running Clean Sky 2 research program finishes.
Omni has placed orders for two General Electric CT7-2E1-powered AW189s and will be the Latin American launch customer for the Safran Aneto 1K-powered AW189K.
Safran Helicopters will develop a 600-kW turbogenerator for Electra.aero’s prototype nine-passenger hybrid-electric short-takeoff-and-landing aircraft.
Safran Helicopter Engines' new CEO Cedric Goubet says the engine business will almost double production to 1,000 engines per year in response to the market.
The project, initiated by Safran, involves regional companies working in agricultural chemicals and energy that plan to work together to produce and distribute sustainable biofuels.