France's Safran to set up Rafale engine maintenance unit in Hyderabad

The upcoming unit, named Safran Aircraft Engine Services India, will specifically handle the maintenance, repair, and overhaul of M88 engines used in the Dassault Rafale aircraft

French aerospace firm Safran on Tuesday announced a new facility in Hyderabad to support maintenance operations for Rafale fighter jet engines. The upcoming unit, named Safran Aircraft Engine Services India, will specifically handle the maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) of M88 engines used in the Dassault Rafale aircraft, reported news agency PTI.

 

The project is expected to generate around 150 jobs by the end of 2025. Additional phases could add up to 750 more positions, the report mentioned, citing a statement from the Telangana government.

 

Pierre Fernandez, general manager of Safran Aerospace, shared the update during a meeting with Telangana Industries Minister D Sridhar Babu. “We look forward to expanding our presence with the upcoming Safran Aircraft Engine Services India, focused on LEAP engine MRO services and scheduled to be operational before the end of the year, as well as a newly announced fourth site to provide maintenance for the M88 military jet engine powering the Dassault Rafale,” Fernandez said.

 

 

Safran already runs two facilities in Hyderabad — one that manufactures electrical harnesses for CFM LEAP engines and Rafale fighters, and another that produces rotating parts for the LEAP engine’s low-pressure turbine, the report added.

 

“Over the past few years, Safran has benefited from significant support from the Telangana government. We are proud to contribute to the region’s dynamic aerospace ecosystem and to help position Telangana as a major hub for the aerospace industry in India,” the statement mentioned.

 

Earlier this month, Dassault Aviation and Tata Advanced Systems Limited also signed four Production Transfer Agreements to manufacture key structural sections of the Rafale aircraft in Hyderabad. This will be the first time the fuselage of the Rafale will be built in India, for both domestic and export markets, at a facility Tata Advanced Systems is setting up in the city.