Safran Helicopter Engines has opened a second assembly line at its facility in Grand Prairie, Texas for the Arriel 2E engine. The first assembled and tested Arriel 2E engines have been delivered to Airbus. These engines power the UH-72B Lakota for the U.S. Army, a variant of the EC145 model.

Safran assembles, tests and supports several Arriel variants at its Grand Prairie facility, including the 2D for the Airbus H125 and the 1E2 for the UH-72A Lakota. The U.S. Army is a major operator with over 900 engines in its Lakota fleet. The U.S. Coast Guard fleet of Airbus MH-65 Dolphins are also powered by the engine.

With power outputs ranging from 650 to over 1,000 shp, the Arriel family powers over 40 different rotorcraft and the 2E offers 20% more power than the current Arriel 1E2 in the EC145. Safran claims the Arriel is the best selling helicopter engine in its class, with over 12,000 engines produced and 50 million flight hours.

“Assembling this variant in Texas reflects our commitment to the helicopter industry to invest and grow our US presence, bringing us closer to our customers and allows us to provide increased capability and proximity support,” says Thierry Derrien, president and CEO of Safran Helicopter Engines USA.