December 6, 2019 | International, Aerospace
By: Christina Mackenzie
PARIS — A 50-50 joint venture between France's Safran and Germany's MTU will be incorporated by the end of 2021 to manage the development and production of an engine that will power the Next Generation Fighter, a key segment of Europe's Future Combat Air System program, the companies announced this week.
Safran Aircraft Engines will be the prime contractor, taking the lead in engine design and integration, while MTU Aero Engines, as the main partner for the first phase of research and technology, will take the lead in engine services.
The industrial agreement is based on the principles that were set out in a letter of intent signed between the two companies last February.
"This agreement is a major step forward, which reflects Safran Aircraft Engines and MTU Aero Engines' willingness to ensure a strong and effective management of the program relying on a balanced partnership and clear accountabilities,” Olivier Andriès, CEO of Safran Aircraft Engines, and Michael Schreyögg, chief program officer of MTU Aero Engines, were quoted as saying in a joint statement.
The agreement lifts the last impediments that were standing in the way of contracts being signed by the French, German and Spanish governments; now companies can get the Future Combat Air System program underway.
Joël Barre, the director of France's procurement agency, the DGA, said on Oct. 2 that appointing Safran as prime contractor on the engine program with MTU Aero Engines as principal industrial partner was one of the two elements that remained before launching work on a technology demonstrator for the New Generation Fighter.
The other element is organizing the entry of Spain into the program. Although Spain signed up for the program during the Paris Air Show last June, the industrial aspect of its participation has not been settled.
September 26, 2024 | International,
Chinese hackers breach US internet providers, targeting sensitive data and critical infrastructure. Government responds as cybersecurity concerns esca
September 7, 2022 | International, Aerospace
St. Louis, September 6, 2022 — Boeing [NYSE: BA] has digitally demonstrated a new open autonomy architecture for MQ-25 that will allow the U.S. Navy to increase mission effectiveness by...
December 4, 2020 | International, Land
December 2, 2020 - Rheinmetall's advanced MK-82-EP general purpose aircraft bomb has recently scored major successes in France and Germany. France's procurement authority, the Direction Générale de l'Armement (DGA), has already placed the first serial production orders for the MK82-EP, which are earmarked for the Mirage 2000 and Rafale fighter jets. Furthermore, the German Air Force has selected the Rheinmetall MK82-EP to serve as the warhead of the GBU-54 Laser Joint Direct Attack Munition system, destined for its Tornado and Eurofighter platforms. Together, the orders encompass more than 2,000 MK82-bomb bodies, worth over €35 million in total. In October 2020 France's DGA successfully qualified the new MK82-EP (Enhanced Performance) 500-pound bomb body. This follows a five-year programme of development and extensive testing conducted by RWM Italia SpA, Rheinmetall's airborne ordnance centre of excellence in Italy, in cooperation with explosives manufacturer EURENCO. Engineered for maximum safety during storage, handling and operations, the state-of-the-art 500-pound MK82-EP warhead is an enhanced, fully interchangeable version of the standard MK82 bomb body, delivering improved effectiveness. The MK82-EP can be deployed in free fall mode or as a precision guided munition in tandem with Paveway, Enhanced Paveway, Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) and Laser Joint Direct Attack Munition (LJDAM) or Armament Air-Sol Modulaire (AASM) kits. Led by DIEHL Defence, the GBU-54 team supplying the German Air Force includes RWM Italia S.p.A., Boeing for the guidance kit, and Junghans Microtec for the fuse. DIEHL has recently been awarded a contract to supply several hundred of these systems during the period 2021 to 2024. Thanks to this successful start in France and Germany, the MK82-EP is seen as a likely choice to arm the Future Combat Air System (FCAS) currently being jointly developed by the two countries, as well as serving as a new baseline for all Mirage 2000, Rafale and Eurofighter users. Rheinmetall AG Corporate Sector Defence Press and Information Oliver Hoffmann Rheinmetall Platz 1 40476 Düsseldorf Germany Phone: +49 211 473-4748 Fax: +49 211 473-4157 View source version on Rheinmetall: https://www.rheinmetall-defence.com/en/rheinmetall_defence/public_relations/news/latest_news/index_25728.php