Mega-MRO for LEAP Engines ! Safran is inaugurating 3 new industrial sites in India this week , with an investment upto Euro 305 mn !

Mega MRO for LEAP-1A / B Engines !

Safran said to have operated in India for 65 years and now counts 10 facilities and 750 employees in the country and Safran is inaugurating 3 new industrial sites in India this week , with an investment upto Euro 305 mn !

The French multinational company SAFRAN designs, develops and manufactures aircrafts engines , rocket engines as well as various aerospace and defense-related equipment or their components. Company also engages itself with after market services , and MRO activities.

• Three new facilities being inaugurated in Hyderabad and Bangalore this week .
•  Announcement is for the largest MRO center for CFM LEAP1A & LEAP1B engines.

Jean-Paul Alary, Chief Executive Officer of Safran Aircraft Engines , announced the creation of a new maintenance , repair and overhaul (MRO) facility for CFM LEAP engines, to be built at the industrial Park of GMR.

LEAP is a high-bypass turbofan produced by CFM International, a 50-50 joint venture between American GE Aviation and French Safran Aircraft Engines. 

The LEAP ("Leading Edge Aviation Propulsion") incorporates technologies that CFM developed as part of the LEAP56 technology acquisition program , which CFM had launched in 2005.

While A320Neo family aircraft has an option to use LEAP-1B engines , Boeing B737 MAX aircraft feature the LEAP-1B engines only.

Talking about the current development , the largest MRO center in the network , it will start operations in 2025 and will eventually offer annual capacity of 250 to 300 engine shop visits. 

Two new neighboring plants are being inaugurated on July 7th in Hyderabad , for 'Safran Aircraft Engines'  and  'Safran Electrical & Power'.

“Our new MRO 4.0 center in Hyderabad will strengthen our global network and enable us to meet the needs of our CFM customers against a backdrop of booming air traffic in India and the region,”  said Jean-Paul Alary.

“We benefit from the fast growing aviation ecosystem and outstanding competences in the State of Telengana.”

The third plant is being inaugurated on July 8th , 2022 in Bangalore , for the 'Safran HAL Aircraft Engines' , a 50/50 joint venture between Safran Aircraft Engines and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited.

The Safran Aircraft Engines plant , spanning 15,000 square meters (162,000 sq ft) , aims at manufacturing rotating parts for the LEAP engine from CFM International Brand .

French Safran Presence in India.

The Indian Defence context !

Safran is one of the Aerospace companies , on which options are being studied by India's MoD for partnering the Defence R&D Organisation (DRDO) to developing the indigenous Kaveri engine that would power the indigenous aircraft , which includes the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA).

Indian Ministry of Defence commented ,

“The MRO facility through direct foreign investment of $US 150 million in Hyderabad is expected to create 500-600 highly skilled jobs. The facility will be able to overhaul over 250 engines per year in the beginning.”

Credits : SAFRAN