Safran Aircraft Engines, a leading French aerospace company, announced the setting up of a Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) facility in Hyderabad. The facility is dedicated to the M88 engines of the company that are used in the Rafale fighter jet.
While the facility will play a crucial role in supporting the maintenance of Rafale fighter aircraft purchased by the Indian Air Force, the company is also targeting to meet the strong maintenance demands from its worldwide customers.
“This project marks an important step in the development of Indian sovereignty in aerospace and defense, while demonstrating our commitment to developing a world-class MRO ecosystem for the benefit of all M88 operators.”, says Christophe Bruneau, Executive Vice President, Military Engines at Safran Aircraft Engines.
Hyderabad becomes centre for Rafale jets
Hyderabad is gradually becoming the centre hub of the Rafale fighter jet development in India. Besides the latest announcement of the establishment of the MRO facility, Safran Aircraft Engines already has two production facilities in Hyderabad. Safran has 2400 staff members working in India. The new facility in Hyderabad will provide 150 jobs by 2040.
Furthermore, earlier this month, Tata Advanced Systems and Dassault Aviation signed an agreement to manufacture the Rafale fighter jet fuselage in Hyderabad. As part of the agreement, the French aerospace company signed four production transfer agreements with Tata Advanced Systems.
The Hyderabad facility will manufacture the key structural sections of Rafale jets. In a joint statement, both companies said that the production at the Hyderabad manufacturing facility is expected to commence from 2028.