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News archive: Safran Helicopter Engines

Every Bulletin story and press release covering Safran Helicopter Engines, newest first.

Whole archive

18 items

10 June Airbus sees future roles for the U145 spanning logistics, firefighting, surveillance and drone mothership operations.

Airbus unveils autonomous helicopter derived from H145

The uncrewed platform combines a proven helicopter design with autonomous technology and has its first flight planned later this year.

9 April Engine nacelles for the LEAP-1A on the A320neo final assembly line.

Daher expands Safran logistics role with European contracts

Operations in Germany and France will support aircraft production and maintenance, with focus on rapid spare parts delivery near Paris.

12 March Mathilde Royer-Germain, head of strategy and sustainability at Airbus Helicopters, Bruno Guimbal, chief executive officer of Hélicoptères Guimbal, and Cédric Goubet, chief executive officer of Safran Helicopter Engines.

Guimbal launches the GrandCabri G5

The five-seat helicopter was revealed at Verticon 2026 and will use Safran’s Arrius 2D engine to bridge the gap between piston trainers and larger turbine aircraft.

31 July 2025 The first prototype will conduct firing campaigns from 2026 while a second will undergo environmental tests.

First H160M Guepard flight is key step for French Armed Forces

Airbus carried out the maiden test flight using a dedicated crew and began preparations for weapon and environmental trials.

13 March 2025 The Robinson R88 features optional high skids for enhanced ground clearance and utility applications.

Robinson goes large with ten-seat R88 helicopter

The R88, Robinson’s largest helicopter, will feature a 950 shaft horsepower Safran engine and a fully integrated service package.

12 March 2025 The first aircraft is already undergoing flight tests at Airbus’ Donauwörth facility.

Larger and quieter Airbus H140 set for 2028 service

The H140 will feature a Safran Arrius 2E engine, a five-blade rotor system and Helionix avionics for improved performance and efficiency.

5 September 2024 The contract was signed by The contract was signed by S Anbuvelan, CEO (Helicopter Complex), HAL, and Olivier Savin, Director, SAFHAL Helicopter Engines and EVP, OEM Sales and Marketing, Safran Helicopter Engines and S K Mehta, Director, SAFHAL Helicopter Engines and Executive Director (Finance), HAL.

HAL selects SAFHAL to develop and produce Aravalli engine

Safran has been HAL's partner of choice for powering its helicopters, starting with the Artouste engines used in Cheetah and Chetak, followed by Shakti engine and its variants powering the ALH, LCH and LUH.

17 July 2024 Dr. Markus Zeis, Head of Enablement, Dr. Silke Maurer, COO, Lars Wagner, CEO, Stefan Hertling, Head of Production, and Thomas Frank, Head of Corporate Quality.

MTU steps up turbine disk manufacturing in Munich

Three production areas – disk manufacturing, coating, and disk testing – result in significant process improvements, shorter processing times (by up to 50 percent), and savings of up to a third of previous costs.

26 June 2024

Safran and MTU pair up to power nextgen military helicopters

The joint-venture will focus on the development of a new heavy helicopter engine to power the next generation of European military helicopters, scheduled to enter into service by 2040.

1 May 2024

The fast and frugal Racer takes to the air

The aircraft flew for about 30 minutes, allowing the flight test team to check its overall behaviour. The Racer builds upon the aerodynamic configuration validated by the Airbus Helicopters X3 technology demonstrator.

19 July 2023 The IMRH (Indian Multi-Role Helicopter) will be powered by Safran/HAL engines.

Safran and HAL land on Bangalore for engine factory

This joint venture will be India's first domestic engine design and manufacturing capability, and will work on the country's future 13-ton IMRH (Indian Multi-Role Helicopter) and naval version.

23 February 2023 Celebrating the first run of the Tech TP ACHIEVE hybrid electric turboprop demonstrator.

Safran celebrates ground run of 'more electric' turboprop

By 2025 HE-ART, which brings together 38 partners with Safran Helicopter Engines as technical coordinator, plans to ground test a hybrid electric propulsion engine intended for regional turboprop aircraft.

16 February 2023

HAL shares development of Safran's engine for IMRH

The two companies are building closer cooperation which will also include the manufacturing of seven critical forging and casting raw parts for the Shakti engine of Dhruv and the Light Combat Helicopter.

2 February 2023

Leonardo's AW09 is set to fly with Safran's Arriel 2K

The new propulsion system is already installed on the latest AW09 prototype, PS4 (Pre Series 4), which is about to start flight test activities at Kopter’s facility in Mollis.

13 July 2022 The Indian Multi Role Helicopter.

HAL and Safran combine in JV to develop new engines

With a fleet of over 1,000 engines, India's Armed Forces are one of the largest operators of Safran-designed helicopter engines. A new JV will further boost that number into the future.

22 June 2022 All Airbus commercial aircraft and helicopters are certified to fly with up to a 50% blend of SAF.

Sustainable aviation fuel goes solo aboard the H225

This milestone follows the flight of an H225 with one SAF-powered Makila 2 engine in November 2021, and is part of the flight campaign aimed at understanding the impact of SAF use on the helicopter's systems.

19 January 2022 Safran will provide engines and other equipment on H160M and H160 helicopters for the French armed forces and Gendarmerie.

Safran chalks up diverse involvement in the H160M

Designed, built and supported in France, Arrano engines will power the French armed forces' Leopard helicopter. Safran will also supply a range of other systems and components for the program.

29 September 2021 Piaggio Aerospace and Safran Helicopter Engines already collaborate on the RTM322 and Aneto engine families, for the production of hot section parts of the engines.

Piaggio and Safran agree to produce the Ardiden 3

The Ardiden 3 is a core engine in the 1,700 to 2,000 shaft horsepower range. With two EASA-certified models it features compact modular architecture, a high power to weight ratio and a low cost of ownership.