News MRO
Safran renews MCO contract for French government helicopter engines

Safran Helicopter Engines and the French Aerospace Maintenance Agency (DMAé, Direction de la Maintenance Aéronautique) have renewed for 10 years their contract to maintain the French government’s helicopter engines in operational condition.

Designated Saturne (Soutien Avancé des Turbines de l’Etat), the contract ensures the availability and MRO (maintenance, repair and overhaul) of all 1,500 engines powering the helicopters of the French Army’s Light Aviation (ALAT), the French Air and Space Force, the French Navy, the Sécurité Civile, Gendarmerie, Customs and the DGA Essais en vol.

The contract covers most of Safran’s helicopter engines, including the Arrano 1A powering the new H160M Guépard being developed for the HIL (Hélicoptère Interarmées Léger) program, as well as the H160 operated by the French Gendarmerie Nationale and DGA Essais en vol.

“The renewal of this operational condition contract is a source of pride for the men and women of Safran Helicopter Engines. It motivates us to strive for excellence, in line with our ambition to continue to deliver the best of the best in terms of service quality to our clients,” said Franck Saudo, President of Safran Helicopter Engines. “We are committed to ensuring 100 per cent engine availability on the French government fleet be it in France, overseas and on external operations, as we have continuously done for over 14 years.”

Safran Helicopter Engines’ MCO contract with the French government was signed in 2001 and renewed in 2011. Saturne contract is managed from the Safran Helicopter Engines site in Tarnos, France.