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p. 21 markets: Security SolutionS in latin america / p. 34
stOrIes: aaSm miSSion in libya
magazinesafran
December 2011 – No. 11the safran group magazine
The Electric Green Taxiing System, combining economy and
ecology
ELECTRIC MOTORS IN JETLINER LANDING GEAR
specIal repOrt
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marchésContents
02 _ December 2011 _ safran Magazine safran Magazine _ December
2011 _ 03
marchésEditorial
The Safran share officially entered the CAC 40 index in the NYSE
Euronext Paris stock exchange on September 19, 2011, just six years
after the Safran group was created. Being chosen for the benchmark
index in the Paris stock exchange is clear recognition by French
and international investors of our progress since the Group was
created. A refocus on our core businesses, targeted acquisitions
and
a steady climb in profitability are just some of the concrete
improvements we have achieved in this short time.
Being selected for the CAC 40 index also reflects investors’
understanding of Safran’s future growth outlook, based on our
contributions to major aerospace programs and the potential
harbored by our security business.
It will also boost our visibility in the business and financial
communities, which will have a very positive impact, for example by
helping attract top young talents.
In fact, we face a number of daunting challenges in the years
ahead, including ramping up the new LEAP jet engine to replace our
best-selling CFM56, studying new aircraft engine designs that could
come to market towards 2030, developing even more advanced
biometric recognition technologies and bringing them to market.
Safran’s commitment to excellence across the board largely depends
on our ability to attract the most talented engineers and managers,
enabling us to maintain our international reputation for product
performance and reliability.
Enhancing Safran’s visibility to better attract new talents
18 MarketsCheck out the latest
safran group news at www.safran-group.com
Ross McInnessafran Deputy chief Executive Officer, Finance
News breaks� p. 04
Special report� p. 08Electric motors in jetliner landing gearThe
Electric Green Taxiing System, combining economy and ecology
panorama� p. 14A living museum100 years of aerospace history in
a unique collection
Markets� p. 1818 Working for the Pentagon21 Security in Latin
America24 Safran’s role on the KC-39026 Safran acquires L-1 to
boost
identification business27 Collaboration on road safety28 LEAP
takes off with Boeing
Insight� p. 2929 MAKS 2011 airshow review30 CFM56: taking the
pulse of engine
assembly32 Modernizing and expanding
industrial facilities
Stories� p. 34AASM: anti-air defense mission in Libya
Interview� p. 36The School for ExcellenceInterview with Bernard
Ramanantsoa, Dean of HEC Paris business school
“Being part of the CAC 40 stock market index significantly
increases our visibility in the business and financial
communities.”
The American Department of Defense is a top-tier partner for
Safran, purchasing engines, equipment and optical systems.
Working for the Pentagon
The Safran group magazine - 2, bd du Général-Martial-Valin 75724
Paris -
France - Cedex 15 - E-mail : [email protected] -
Publication Director: Pascale Dubois - Editorial Director: Florent
Vilbert - Executive Editor in Chief: Céline Groult - Editor in
Chief: Martin Bellet - Written by: D. Baudier, M. Bellet, B. Dietz,
F. Lert, P. Michaud, G. Sequeira-Martins, A. Attali - Translation:
Don Siegel, ID Communications - Production: - Printed by:
Imprimerie Vincent, certified imprim’vert on PEFC accredited
paper-
ISSN 1960-7164 - The articles and illustrations published in
this magazine may not be reproduced without prior authorization.
Cover: © Monsieur Suprême
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Safran supports underserved urban neighborhoods
S afran partners the 10th “Talents des Cités” program in 2011, a
French initiative launched by the Senate and the Ministry of the
City that recognizes men and women who create enterprises that
contribute to economic development and employment in underserved
neighborhoods.
Through its Foundation for Inclusion and philanthropic measures
to foster solidarity, Safran helps young people in difficulty find
appropriate training programs and jobs. The Group’s
objectives echo those of “Talents des Cités”, a label that
recognizes entrepreneurs for their projects, and encourages support
by state agencies, financial institutions, private industry and
associations. Along with other major sponsors, Safran was a member
of the national jury and was on hand for the official prize
ceremony in the French senate on October 22.
WMORE
www.talentsdescites.com
WLABEL WLAnding SyStEmS
marchésNews breaks
04 _ December 2011 _ Safran magazine Safran magazine _ December
2011 _ 05
the number of new single-aisle jets expected to be sold between
now and 2030, according to Airbus. the CFm56 jointly made by Safran
and gE currently powers 60% of the European plane-maker's
single-aisle jets.
19,165
transatlantic
marc Guillemot and Yann Eliès, co-skippers of the Safran Open 60
racing yacht, took part in the 10th Transat Jacques Vabre, a
transatlantic sailing race that retraces the legendary “coffee
trade route” first established in the 19th century. The two
skippers competed with 34 other crews for 16 days at sea, crossing
the finish line in Puerto Limon, Costa Rica, in 6th
place.W MORE
www.safran-sailingteam.com
WSAiLing tEAm
Bombardier chooses messier-Bugatti-dowty landing systems for new
bizjets
messier-Bugatti-Dowty, already a major equipment supplier on
many Bombardier aircraft, was chosen in October to supply the
integrated landing system for the Canadian company’s new Global
7000 and Global 8000 business jets. This package includes the main
and nose landing gear, steering system, landing gear
extension/retraction, control and monitoring systems, and the
backup extension system. The package offered by
Messier-Bugatti-Dowty will enable the aircraft manufacturer to
simplify the integration of landing systems on these two new
bizjets, as well as future maintenance operations. Both of these
jets, carrying ten and eight passengers, respectively, are designed
for long-haul operation. The Global 7000 is expected to enter
service in 2016 and the Global 8000 a year later.
W MORE
www.safran-group.com, Press & media
Facebook, Linkedin, twitter: that’s the ineluctable new
triumvirate of digital communications, drawing strength from an
amazing number of users (nearly 800 million for Facebook alone),
and the multiple connections and interactions between members.
Safran now has its own presence in these new systems, and for the
last few months has already invited people to join it on Facebook
and twitter. you can see the latest Safran news of course, as well
as keep an eye on the group’s ocean racing initiative. in a few
more weeks, the recruitment section will also be open, allowing
potential candidates to communicate directly with HR staff.
Like?
W MOREwww.facebook.com/Groupesafran
www.facebook.com/safransailingTeam
www.twitter.com/saFraN
FRiEnd us?
giovanni Bisignani,safran Board of Directors“Safran has for many
years delivered outstanding aerospace products. In 1989, when I was
head of Alitalia, I chose the CFM56 to power our fleet of Airbus
A320 twinjets. Now that Safran is expanding its scope of business
to include aviation safety, I’m sure that they will be able to meet
the challenge of strengthening checks at airports while also making
life easier for passengers.”
Giovanni Bisignani, 64, Director General and CEO of the
International Air Transport Association (IATA) for ten years, has
spurred deep changes in this sector. In addition to the project
“Simplifying the Business”, which helped eliminate all paper
tickets in 2008, he also launched the first universal standard for
airline security management. Under his leadership, the IATA was
able to reach a consensus on environmental issues in air transport,
which is still the only business sector to commit to concrete
objectives for a significant reduction in carbon emissions by 2050.
Giovanni Bisignani is the founder of Opodo, the first European
travel portal, as well as being Managing Director and CEO of
Alitalia from 1989 to 1994, and Chairman of AEA (Association of
European Airlines) in 1992, as well as Chairman of Galileo
International in 1993. In fact, he has always done his utmost to
help meet the challenges facing the global air transport
industry.
Decision-makers
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turbomeca makila 2A turboshaft engines will power the 20
Eurocopter EC225 Super Puma helicopters ordered by CHC
Helicopter.
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Jean-Lou Chameau,safran Board of Directors“The Group’s
technological achievements and the high quality of its people and
products are recognized around the world. So it’s a great honor for
me to be a member of the Board, and I hope to be able to contribute
to Safran’s global strategy in air transport and security.”
Jean-Lou Chameau, 58, is President of the California Institute
of Technology, better known as Caltech, an American center of
excellence in research and laboratory facilities. For a number of
years, he actively promoted the idea that research should be an
integral part of engineers’ careers, right from their first year of
school, and he encourages partnerships between engineering schools
and laboratories, like those seen for many years in the United
States. His watchword is the “virtue of failure”, something that
French engineers graduating from the Grandes Ecoles (France’s most
prestigious schools, many engineering oriented) have not always
learned, since they are trained to exacting standards of excellence
right from the outset. In addition to attending Stanford
University, Jean-Lou Chameau was also dean of Georgia Tech’s
College of Engineering. He is on the Board of Directors of John
Wiley & Sons, MTS Systems, the InterWest Advisory Committee,
the Academic Research Council of Singapore, and he is a member of
the National Academy of Engineering. In France, he graduated from
the Ecole Nationale Supérieure des Arts et Métiers engineering
school and is a member of the Academy of Technologies.
marchésNews breaks
06 _ December 2011 _ Safran magazine Safran magazine _ December
2011 _ 07
Decision-makers
Boeing 787 dreamliner enters service in Japan
B oeing’s latest jetliner, the 787 Dreamliner, has started
revenue service in Japan. This brand-new 250-seat jet carried its
first passengers on October 26 – a very satisfying moment for
Boeing, which had to contend with several delays in this
large-scale program. The 787 harbors a number of technological
innovations; in particular, it’s the first aircraft of this type
with an all-composite fuselage, reducing weight and thus fuel
consumption. Safran contributes to this technological success as
supplier of most of the landing system and wiring, as well as parts
of the GEnx-1B engine. The 787 Dreamliner has already logged 835
orders, making it an uncontested market success and setting a new
standard in the medium-capacity long-haul commercial jet class.
2011 Women’s Forum focuses on innovation
d uring the Women’s Forum in Deauville, France from October 13
to 15, Safran, a partner in this forum, asked about 30 of its
employees to take part in the discussions and conferences
addressing women’s vision and influence on today’s leading economic
and social challenges. One of the main subjects this year was
women’s role in innovation, and Safran led the way with a
workshop entitled, “And if half of all technology innovators
were women?”
Safran took advantage of this opportunity to showcase ways in
which women can transform technological innovation and engineering.
Since 2006 Safran is also a partner in Elles Bougent (“Women on the
Move”), an industry association created to encourage young women to
study scientific and technical subjects, by providing information
on career opportunities in these fields, especially as
engineers.
WmEEtingS
WmiLEStOnE
the CtX 5800, a latest-generation computed-tomography explosive
detection system, will be installed at a European airport for the
first time. the Brussels airport ordered three systems last October
to replace previous generation machines. designed by morpho, the
CtX 5800 combines the advanced technology of high-definition 3d
imaging for luggage inspection with a smaller footprint, enabling
its use for diverse security applications in airports. it meets the
Brussels airport’s expectations for enhanced security and faster
operation.
W MORE
www.safran-group.com, Press & media
EnhancEd ExplOsivE dEtEctiOn at BRussEls aiRpORt
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the 2011 Rugby World Cup finished on a high note, with more than
100,000 fans traveling from around the world to new Zealand to
cheer on their teams. to handle this huge influx of travelers, the
new Zealand customs service had planned ahead by ordering new
morpho Smartgate automated border control systems for their
airports back in June. Based on facial recognition biometric
technology, Smartgate identifies holders of e-passports in real
time, using a digital photo embedded in the chip on their
passports, greatly facilitating border checks.
all Blacks and sMaRtGatEs
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S afran received the Competitiveness award for European
businesses at the 7th “Rencontres de l’Entreprise
Européenne” (European Business Meetings). Created in 2004, this
competition recognizes European companies’
performance in three areas: Growth, Competitiveness and Mergers
& Acquisitions. The aim is to promote a European business
model, spotlight winning strategies and better understand the
specific success factors involved.
Safran wins Competitiveness award
Louis gallois, jury chairman, presents the awards for 2011 to
J.P. Herteman (Safran), g. mestrallet (gdF Suez) and y. delabrière
(Faurecia).
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Combining economy and ecology, the Electric Green Taxiing System
will enable airplanes to move on the ground without using their jet
engines.
ElEctric motors in jEtlinEr landing gEar
25 mphground speed of aircraft fitted with the Electric green
taxiing system
250 kgjet fuel used during taxiing for each flight
50/50worksplit within the planned joint venture between safran
and Honeywell for the green taxiing system
08 _ December 2011 _ safran magazine safran magazine _ December
2011 _ 09
marchésSpecial report
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marchésSpecial report
10 _ December 2011 _ safran Magazine safran Magazine _ December
2011 _ 11
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T axiing is expensive! Covering all movements of the airplane on
the tarmac, both before and after take-off, taxiing requires either
the jet engines operating at idle to move
the plane forward, or using tractors to “push back” the aircraft
from the gate. All of these maneuvers are complex, and burn up a
lot of fuel. “Electric taxiing will totally change this
situ-ation,” says Olivier Savin, head of Safran’s Electric Green
Taxiing System program. “It involves installing electric motors in
the wheels so the aircraft can independently push-back and taxi,
without having to use its own jet engines or the airport’s
tractors. These motors are powered by the electricity gener-ated by
the auxiliary power unit, or APU, allowing the pilot to control the
aircraft’s ground movements.”
Electric taxiing is not only an innovative technology, but also
very advantageous for airlines. According to Frédéric Crancée, head
of business development for the Electric Green Taxiing System
program, “The advantages are obvious. By not having to use the
aircraft’s jet engines, we can reduce fuel burn by three to four
percent. And of course, fuel is one of the largest expenses for all
airlines. Plus, using
“Electric taxiing” is a new concept that allows airplanes to
move around airports without having to use their jet engines, a
major innovation that will revolutionize tomorrow’s air transport
industry.
marKETs
In april 2011 safran created a new Transformation division
tasked with bringing its innovations to market more quickly. The
Innovation department is part of this new entity, and functions as
an
incubator. Its activities cover all breakthrough and even
disruptive concepts that extend beyond the scope of a single
company. Once a project becomes eligible for development, this
corporate department coordinates it all the
way through commercialization, in conjunction with the companies
involved. “The selection process is now being deployed, but several
major areas have already been identified, including the Electric
Green Taxiing system, power generation, actuation, the electrical
powertrain (generation, distribution conversion), and operating aid
services. We addressed this question in terms of markets, and not
products.”
safran Executive Vice President, Transformation
w Yves LecLère
Incubator for innovation
cerned by this system for now. “Our main tar-get is the
single-aisle commercial jets used for short and medium-haul
flights, which spend a relatively large amount of time on the
ground,” notes Frédéric Crancée. “Airports are also inter-ested,
since they face stringent environmental regulations and green
taxiing methods reduce both pollution and noise.”
But various technological challenges must still be met before
this system reaches the market. “The Electric Green Taxiing System
requires technological breakthroughs in a number of areas,” adds
Olivier Savin. “Safran is calling on its full array of aeronautical
expertise, and has also formed a partnership with Honeywell [see
page 12]. We are planning to roll out a demon-strator in 2013,
which means we can introduce this system by about 2016 on
new-generation jets such as the A320neo, C919 and Boeing 737 MAX.
We are also considering offering this system as a retrofit option
on aircraft already in service.”
eLectric Green taxiinG sYstem: revoLutionizinG aviation from the
bottom up
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ProspectsEasyJet, Delta, Us airways, air France, american
airlines and alitalia are just some of the airlines that have
already indicated their interest in studying the system’s
feasibility and potential benefits.
less fuel means emitting less carbon dioxide. In addition, the
pushback operation demands considerable human and material
resources.”
sTarTIng wITh sIngle-aIsle jeTsThe operational advantages of an
electric taxi-ing system are equally important, and include better
on-time performance and less clutter at gates and in parking areas.
This is a strong point in its favor, since air traffic is expected
to post steady growth in the coming years. Further-more, the
Electric Green Taxiing System will decrease airlines’ maintenance
costs because it will reduce brake wear and the risk of damaging
motors while idling on the tarmac, when they could ingest foreign
objects such as gravel.
However, not all types of aircraft are con-
© Im
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airplanes around the world use over 5 million tons of fuel every
year to taxi at airports.
Computer-generated image of the electric taxiing system.
planned service entry for the electric green Taxiing system.
potential fuel savings for an a320 equipped with the electric
green Taxiing system on a 500 nautical mile leg.
2016:
3 - 4%:
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12 _ December 2011 _ safran Magazine safran Magazine _ December
2011 _ 13
marchésSpecial report
T he concept of electric taxiing is easy to understand … but
much harder to apply! Certain technical decisions have to be made,
starting with the location of the motor and drivetrain
for the wheel. In this case, the partners opted for an
installation on the wheels in the main landing gear.
“Other companies working in the area decided to place the motor
on the nose landing gear because that was the simplest solution,”
explains Jean-Pierre Garcia, chief engineer for the Electric Green
Taxiing System at Messier-Bugatti-Dowty (Safran). “The wheel on the
nose gear is hollow, and there is no brake and few components. But
only about five percent of the aircraft’s weight rests on this
landing gear, which is not enough to ensure grip on a wet runway,
meaning there is a risk of skidding. That explains why Safran, with
Honeywell in agreement, decided to locate the motor on the main
gear, which supports ninety-five percent of the aircraft’s weight.
It’s more difficult in terms of installing the system, but much
more effective. And both Airbus and
B y creating a joint venture with Amer-ican giant Honeywell to
develop electric taxiing systems, Safran is leveraging the
advantages needed to make this program a success. “The
Electric Green Taxiing System calls on a wide range of
competencies, from APUs to brakes, not to mention power
electronics, landing and steering systems,” explains Olivier Savin,
manager of this program at Safran. “Honeywell and Safran were each
working on these tech-nologies, but neither one covered all areas.
We decided it would be a good idea to team up and use our
complementary technical skills.”
Honeywell is a world leader in auxiliary power units (APU) and
cockpit systems, while Safran brings to the table the broad
expertise of its
To convince the market of electric taxiing’s concrete benefits,
Safran and its partner have to choose the right technical
solutions. The challenge starts right now.
The Electric Green Taxiing System is a very challenging program,
demanding expertise in areas ranging from electronics to power
management. Safran of France and Honeywell of the United States
decided to pool their complementary skills to ensure the success of
this exciting new initiative.
Decision time! france anD america team up on innovative
proGram
TEchNOLOGYParTNErshIP
Boeing agree with this decision.”The choice of the drivetrain
technology is also
a result of this decision. Instead of a hydraulic actuator,
powerful and compact but requiring a number of heavy feed lines,
Safran opted for an air-cooled electric motor. It also has a clutch
so that the Electric Green Taxiing System can be disengaged during
takeoff and landing.
DesIgn To sPeC“We’re also working with Honeywell on different
architectures to connect the APU to the land-ing gear and ensure an
optimized electrical power supply for the system,” adds Jean-Pierre
Garcia.
The system’s performance specifications have yet to be frozen,
but according to Garcia, “The aircraft manufacturers and airlines
we talked to want the aircraft to be able to reach a ground speed
of 20 knots in 90 seconds. Based on this requirement, we are going
to design the system to produce the required starting torque.”
These choices will be refined and validated by a joint engineering
team, and then tested on an A320 testbed acquired by Safran in
September 2011.
different companies: Hispano-Suiza for power electronics,
Labinal for wiring, Sagem for elec-tronic controls, Technofan for
actuator ventila-tion and Messier-Bugatti-Dowty for the overall
system design, integration in the landing gear, wheels and brakes,
and the drivetrain.
The two partners are also teaming up to help convince the market
of the long-term benefits of green taxiing. Olivier Savin explains:
“There is extensive marketing to be done with aircraft
manufacturers, airlines, airports, certification authorities, local
communities, neighborhoods and other stakeholders. Working
together, we can better address their concerns.”
safran has acquired an a320 to carry out tests.
“We are firmly convinced that this partnership is a very timely
solution. By bringing together our respective areas of expertise,
we will be able to design and bring a complete system to market
faster than working alone. Our partnership also brings
significant credibility to a project with very innovative aspects
that may give rise to a certain skepticism. Furthermore, the
creation of a joint
venture will enable us to pool resources every step of the way,
from development and production to sales and support. This type of
structure offers a critical advantage in managing a project of this
size, and it also means we can provide a single point of contact
for our customers. In fact, we are already working together
directly with airlines to make sure they are aware of the
advantages of the Green Taxiing system, and to better understand
their specific requirements.”
Executive Vice President, Business Development, honeywell
w brian WeniG
“we contribute our expertise and credibility”
© h
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worksplit within the planned joint venture
mph (20 knots): top ground speed of aircraft fitted with the
electric green Taxiing system.
seconds: time needed to reach this speed.
signature of the MoU between safran and honeywell on june 19,
2011.
50/50
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marchésPanorama
14 _ December 2011 _ safran Magazine safran Magazine _ December
2011 _ 15
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100 years of aerospace history in a unique collection
A living MuseuM
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marchésPanorama
16 _ December 2011 _ safran Magazine safran Magazine _ December
2011 _ 17
safeguarding memoriesThe safran aerospace museum near Paris,
housed in a former seaplane hangar dating from the 1930s, takes
visitors on a trip back through time. From the first rotary
aircraft engines to the powerful jet engines propelling the
concorde supersonic transport, and beyond, the museum showcases
nearly one hundred aircraft, helicopter and rocket engines,
arranged in chronological order. The museum also features other
aircraft systems and equipment produced by safran group companies,
including landing gear, braking systems, wiring and drones – not to
mention classic cars and motorcycles made by predecessor
companies.
The safran aerospace museum regularly expands the collec-tions
at other museums, including the well-known Le Bourget air and space
museum, through donations of aircraft, engines and equipment. On
september 27, 2011, safran further strengthened its ties with this
museum by signing a partnership agreement with the French ministry
of Defense, Gifas (the French aerospace industry association), and
other leading aero-space companies, to modernize and renovate the
museum.
W Morewww.museesafran.com (French only)
1. Jet enginesFrom the atar 9B to the m53, jet engines by snecma
(safran) power all members of Dassault’s mirage fighter family.
2. Partnershipcatherine maunoury, head of the Le Bourget air and
space museum, visits the safran aerospace museum along with
Jean-Paul herteman, cEO of safran.
3. snecma C-450 ColéoptèreThe prototype of a vertical takeoff
and landing (VTOL) aircraft, the coléoptère made its first flight
on may 6, 1959. But because of instability, it would never go
beyond the test phase.
4. Hercules 758/759 engineThe hercules 758/759 engine, built
under license by snecma starting in 1951, powered the Nord 2501
Noratlas military transport. snecma produced over 850 hercules
engines.
5. gnome & Rhône motorcyclesThe original aircraft engine
company Gnome & rhône, later to be merged into snecma, would
turn out several thousand motorcycles from 1923 to 1959, in large
part to offset the pronounced drop in aviation business following
the first world war.
6. Alouette ii helicopterThe alouette II, powered by a Turbomeca
(safran) astazou 2a, first flew in 1955 and is still in service
today.
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T he United States has by far the larg-est defense budget in the
world, totaling some $698 billion in 2010. Therefore, it’s hardly
surprising that the DoD is also the world’s largest
customer for Safran products. “The CFM56 jet engines powering
U.S. Air Force planes are obviously a big part of this,” points out
Safran USA chief Peter Lengyel. “Many other Safran companies have
been able to gain a foothold in this fiercely competitive market as
well, even when relations between the two countries were a bit
tense, all of which proves our products’ excellence.”
MulTifaceTed approachSafran works with the Department of Defense
at several levels, starting with the Group’s role
The U.S. Department of Defense is a top-tier partner for Safran.
The Group recently named a new President and CEO for its American
subsidiary Safran USA, Peter Lengyel, who brings in-depth knowledge
of the American military market to this job.
Working for the Pentagon
DEFENSEas equipment supplier. Labinal, Sagem Avionics and
Messier-Bugatti-Dowty contribute to sev-eral major U.S. defense
programs. For instance, Messier-Bugatti-Dowty supplies the wheels
and carbon brakes on the C-17 cargo plane and KC-135 tanker. It is
also responsible for all or part of the landing gear on the F/A-18
Hornet and Super Hornet carrier-borne fighters and the V-22
tilt-rotor. Labinal supplies wiring for the V-22, as well as the
F-22 and F-16 fighters. Sagem Avionics provides flight controls for
the UH-72A Lakota Light Utility Helicopter (LUH).
Safran is also an engine supplier to the Pen-tagon. In fact,
this relationship reaches back to 1969, when Group company Snecma
entered the North American market by teaming up with General
Electric on the CF6 turbofan engine. Today, this jet still powers
the USAF’s KC-10 and Boeing 747 aircraft. No fewer than 2,000 CFM56
engines power aircraft for the U.S. Air Force and Navy. In another
thrust range, the Adour F405, jointly produced by Turbomeca and
Rolls-Royce, powers T-45 trainers for the U.S. Navy.
Safran enjoys an excellent position in the helicopter turboshaft
engine market. The U.S. Army has ordered 322 LUH helicopters,
outfitted with 700 Arriel 1E2 engines from Turbomeca. Additionally,
Turbomeca won a contract for Arriel 2C2CG powerplants to reengine
about 100 HH-65 Dolphin helicopters for the U.S. Coast Guard*,
coupled with a “power by the hour” maintenance contract.
Microturbo, a sub-© M
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1. uS Vector2. f-16 fighting falcon3. Boeing e-3 awacs4. hh-65a
dolphin5. c-17 Globemaster iii6. uh-72 lakota7. V-22 osprey8. T-45
Goshawk9. BQM-6710. f/a-18 hornet
12
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5
6
7
8
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10
cfM56 engines power aircraft for the u.S. air force and Navy
2 000 sidiary of Turbomeca, provides small jet engines for a
wide range of target drones used by the armed forces.
In addition, Safran has a major presence in the U.S. optronics
(or electro-optical) market. Group subsidiary Vectronix Inc.
markets long-range thermal sights, laser rangefinders and other
observation, positioning and targeting solutions. Vectronix has
considerably enlarged its Ameri-can footprint in recent years by
investing in a new production facility, as well as acquiring the
American company Optics 1, known for its R&D expertise, in
December 2009.
a coMplex, challeNGiNG MarkeTAlthough a resolutely free-market
country, the United States nonetheless operates under an array of
very complex rules governing access to its military sector. “For a
foreign company like Safran, it’s essential for us to prove that
we’re a reliable partner,” says Peter Lengyel. “And we
18 _ December 2011 _ Safran Magazine Safran Magazine _ December
2011 _ 19
MarchéSMarkets
“Safran started developing partnerships with american
counterparts many years ago. The most emblematic example is of
course our joint venture with GE. But I would also mention our
collaboration with albany Techniweave, a company we worked with to
develop the
woven carbon fiber technology already used on the Boeing 787
Dreamliner’s landing gear, and that will be incorporated on the
LEaP fan module.” at the same time, Safran is cultivating
partnerships with several prestigious american universities,
including Stanford, Virginia Tech and
Georgia Tech, the latter dedicated to aeronautical engineering.
“Georgia Tech houses a laboratory specialized in the design of
aeronautical systems. We subsidize research on subjects that
interest us, and also facilitate exchanges of students and
researchers, as well as relations between French and american
laboratories.” Safran also maintains excellent relations with the
Wright-Patterson air Force Base laboratory. “In fact, the americans
are always very keen to hear about our technical solutions and test
our products.”
Deputy Director of r&T, Safran
w alain Coutrot
research-oriented partnerships
© r
émy
Gui
llaum
ot/S
afra
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ectr
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© Ph
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rtesy
of U
.S. a
rmy,
U.S.
air F
orce
and U
.S. N
avy
-
w MoreSee the interview with the chairman and ceo of optics 1 in
the Media Section at www.safran-group.com
have to be better in this regard than domes-tic competitors.”
This is confirmed by Thierry Mantel, Arriel program manager at
Turbomeca, which supplies engines for the LUH. “We have to deliver
the engines strictly on time, and with fewer than 1.5 rejected out
of every 100 deliv-ered. If we don’t meet these conditions, the DoD
can cancel the contract.” The Department of Defense is a demanding
customer indeed, and assesses its suppliers with an eagle eye. The
LUH engine contract has proceeded very smoothly to date, which in
turn reflects very well on all Saf-ran group companies.
Another prime objective at Safran is to expand its local
footprint. Making capital investments in the American market is not
only a way of showing the company’s commitment, but is often a
prerequisite for winning the con-tract! The LUH’s Arriel 1E2
powerplant had to meet a requirement for considerable American
content, which resulted in the construction of a plant in Monroe,
North Carolina. Also reflect-ing this approach is Labinal’s recent
purchase of a company in Salisbury, Maryland: 85% of this plant’s
production is targeted for defense. “Labinal has a strong American
culture in its corporate DNA,” notes Norma Lantz, head of North
American sales & marketing for Labi-nal. “In fact, it’s
considered American by our customers. With this new plant we will
be able to increase our share of the defense market.” According to
Vectronix head Jean Harter, a minimum of 40 to 50% local content is
tacitly expected when submitting bids for a major con-tract. Peter
Lengyel adds, “The American gov-ernment buys our equipment for its
quality, and we strengthen our bids by providing plans to meet US
content requirements and to create US jobs, either through the
creation of new manu-facturing facilities or by forging
partnerships.”
The strict procedures governing the exchange of information
between French companies and their American subsidiaries is another
major challenge. For example, according to Ron James, director of
American military programs for Messier-Bugatti-Dowty’s Landing Gear
divi-sion, his company is regularly audited by Boeing to make sure
it complies with the DoD’s confi-dentiality requirements.
opporTuNiTieS GaloreDespite the announced drastic cuts in the U.S.
defense budget, Safran still enjoys a healthy outlook in this
market, as Peter Lengyel explains: “The defense budget is being
cut
and competition is growing, but Safran is in a good position to
maintain our market share in equipment and technologies provided to
the DoD through US primes. These budget cuts have led to new
acquisition policies that emphasize off-the-shelf solutions ready
to be incorporated into new and existing platforms. For that
reason, our significant R&D invest-ments give us a competitive
edge in the US defense market.” In particular, Peter Lengyel
mentions the new-generation LEAP aircraft engine and current
research on “more electric” aircraft. The Pentagon is especially
interested in these technologies, which it can access without
having to finance development. Fur-thermore, Lengyel points out
that the expected decrease in aircraft orders should be offset by
higher demand for MRO (maintenance, repair and overhaul) services
on aircraft already in operation, and that Safran is well
positioned to capitalize on this trend because of its global
support network.
* The U.S. Coast Guard reports to the Department of Homeland
Security in peacetime, and to the Department of Defense in
wartime.
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20 _ December 2011 _ Safran Magazine Safran Magazine _ December
2011 _ 21
Markets
l atin America, a region 600 million people strong, is being
driven by the dynamic performance of fast-developing countries such
as Bra-zil, Chile, Mexico and Argentina.
These four countries alone account for 70% of the region’s total
population, and security is a primary objective for political
leaders. Their aim is to facilitate economic develop-ment, while
also fighting criminality and terrorism.
a local playerMorpho has been operating in Latin America since
1995 and now has offices and facilities in Mexico and Brazil, as
well as in Colombia and Peru since the acquisition from Carvajal in
early 2011 of four bank card production and personalization
centers. In 2009, Morpho
Morpho has carved out a position as the Latin American leader in
security solutions, by offering systems that call on its three core
areas of expertise: biometric identification, e-documents and
detection.
tailored solutions for latin aMeriCa
SEcUrITY
created a Center of Expertise for Latin Amer-ica and the
Caribbean, to monitor security markets and the development of new
proj-ects. Building on this strategy of establishing a local
presence, carefully cultured over the last 15 years, Morpho has
become a global leader in different segments of the security
market. “Including L-1 Identity Solutions (see page 26) and
MorphoTrak, Safran has now installed 45 biometric systems in the
region,” notes Richard Schindler, head of sales & marketing for
Latin America, Identification division. “That gives us a 60 percent
market share, but also 82 percent of the databases currently being
used. These databases cover some 33 percent of the population, or
287 mil-lion persons.”
Morpho won its two biggest contracts in this market in Colombia
and Mexico. In
Morpho employees in colombia work directly in civil service
buildings.
million Mexican voters are registered in a Morpho database.
of bank cards used in latin america are made by Morpho.
102
20 %
© M
orph
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orph
o
could you recap the uh-72a lakota’s operational experience with
the u.S. army? as of September 30, 2011, there were 178 Lakota
helicopters in service with the U.S. army and National Guard.
The fleet has logged more than 70,000 flight-hours to date in a
variety of missions and locations, including the United States,
Germany, Puerto rico and the Kwajalein atoll in the Pacific. It has
always maintained
very high dispatch reliability rates.
last March, you visited the Turbomeca plant in france and
discussed the arriel 1e2 engine. What was your impression during
this visit? I was very impressed by the people at Turbomeca, as
well as by the production facilities at the Bordes plant. There is
absolutely no doubt that Turbomeca has a world-class plant, which
also means it can provide highly effective technical support
anywhere in the world.
LUh Project Manager, U.S. army
w lieutenant Colonel Bristol
Maximum dispatch reliability
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22 _ December 2011 _ Safran Magazine Safran Magazine _ December
2011 _ 23
MarchéSMarkets
illicit substances,” says Richard Schindler. Morpho is seeking
to accelerate growth in Latin America by strengthening its center
of expertise, while also looking for break-throughs in new markets,
including road
Which system did Morpho design and install in Mexico? We signed
a contract with Morpho back in 1997, giving us a biometric
identification system based on a database of delinquents’
fingerprints. The database was recently updated and now offers a
capacity of 12 million recordings. It is used daily by the police
and also legal services,
which deploy some 600 consultation points across the 32 federal
states in the country. They need just a couple minutes to carry out
an ID check.
What are the advantages of this system for your legal services?
First of all, it’s centralized, which means that there are no walls
between different data, a
structure that can hinder search efficiency. In particular, it
enables our legal services to identify those responsible for
misdemeanors. For example, using this system allowed us to
terminate certain policeman who were breaching professional
standards and ethics.
on what criteria did you base your choice? We appreciated
Morpho’s experience of course, but also its excellent international
credentials. The most decisive criterion was how closely its people
listened to our expectations. They are highly qualified, and give
us top-quality support with outstanding availability.
Undersecretary for Information Technology, Mexican Secretariat
of Public Security
w franCisCo nieMBro
“We have always received top-quality support”
countries in latin american deploy a Morpho biometric
system.
million id documents produced to date.
17
33
Colombia, it is in charge of modernizing public records and the
production system for national ID documents. Installed in 1997,
this system now manages data for 45 million people (including
issuing birth, marriage and death certificates), which makes it the
region’s largest system in terms of ID docu-ment production. In
Mexico, Morpho was chosen to manage a database for the
identifi-cation of 102 million voters, the largest on the
continent, based on fingerprints and photos.
iNTerNal SyNerGieSRobert Vinco, Morpho’s sales & marketing
head in Latin America, organizes regular meetings with his sales
managers to con-solidate the areas of expertise offered by Morpho’s
three divisions and develop proposals keyed to demand. He also
counts on Safran’s national delegates, based in major Latin
American countries, to energize these discussions, as he explains:
“Having the right information is essential. It enables us to stay
abreast of trends, to present our solutions before competitors, and
even to advise poten-tial customers and help them better define
their requirements.”
After focusing on solutions in biometric identification and
e-document manage-ment, Morpho now wants to develop the product and
service offering from its Detec-tion division. “For example, we can
bolster our presence in airports, where there is strong demand for
greater security, in par-ticular systems that can detect explosives
and
© D
r
Brazil: biometrics in bank cardsITaU is a long-standing customer
of the Morpho e-Documents division, which turns out from 10 to 15
million cards for this Brazilian bank every year. ITaU wanted an
innovative solution for transaction security, using a method other
than the traditional PIN code. It signed a contract with Morpho in
early 2011, providing for the collection and registration in a
biometric database of the fingerprints of 30 million clients. after
this phase, which should be completed by June 30, 2012, the
information
will be embedded in a chip on smart cards. Paolo Villasco, Latin
america sales & marketing director in the e-Documents division,
explains how this works: “When making a payment, the client no
longer enters a code, but places his thumb on a fingerprint reader.
comparing this to the fingerprint recorded in the chip, the system
validates the transaction – or not!”
This is a highly strategic project for Morpho. It was proven in
November by a full-scale test reproducing a
transaction with a smart card and a fingerprint reader. Paolo
Villasco points out that this was “the first time this type of
project has been implemented in Latin america.” There is even more
at stake in this project since two-thirds of all bank cards still
use a magnetic stripe. With this solution coupling biometric data
and smart cards, Morpho takes the lead in this field by offering a
new standard for transaction security. “It’s a major opportunity
for Morpho’s future,” notes Villasco.
safety, banking services (see box on page 22) and
healthcare.
focuS oN GroWThTo apply this strategy, Morpho is counting on
continuous technological innovation and products that fully meet
international standards. “Our customers enjoy relatively low cost
of ownership, while they also feel totally free since we don’t
impose proprietary equipment,” says Luc Tombal, Vice Presi-dent,
Technical Presales at the Identifica-tion division.
Morpho’s recognition algorithms have undergone constant
improvement over the last 20 years and now offer unrivalled
accu-racy and performance, as shown by regular tests conducted by
the U.S. National Insti-tute for Standards and Technologies (NIST).
As Luc Tombal explains, “A search that took a half-hour or an hour
twenty years ago can now be done in a second, with unrivaled
accuracy.”
All of these advantages will help Morpho
compete for contracts concerning the major upcoming events in
Brazil: World Youth Day 2013, Football World Cup in 2014 and the
Olympic Games in 2016. Robert Vinco is already very optimistic: “We
are in contact with various specifiers, decision-makers and users,
who can see that Morpho offers com-plete, innovative
solutions.”
Trends in demand are also driving growth. A number of
governments and industries want to use the latest biometric systems
to protect the rights of citizens and customers, while also
offering e-services. Morpho calls on the complementary skills of
its different divisions to design complete solutions, plac-ing it
in excellent position to win upcoming contracts.
production of smart cards at the Morpho plant in Brazil.
© M
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24 _ December 2011 _ Safran Magazine Safran Magazine _ December
2011 _ 25
MarchéSMarkets
M essier-Bugatti-Dowty, the Safran group’s specialist in landing
sys-tems, has been chosen for the first time as a major contributor
to an Embraer aircraft, the KC-390. A
twin-engine military transport, the KC-390 is slated to enter
service in 2016. Offering a pay-load capacity of 20 metric tons,
the KC-390 is competing directly with the Lockheed C-130, the
legendary American military transport orig-inally designed back in
the 1950s. Embraer has already booked 60 orders for the KC-390 from
six countries (Brazil, Colombia, Argentina, Chile, Portugal and the
Czech Republic), and is pro-jecting total sales of 500 to 600.
Messier-Bugatti-Dowty was chosen to develop
Safran has been chosen as a supplier on the new KC-390 military
transport, further cementing its ties with Brazilian company
Embraer, the world’s third leading aircraft manufacturer.
kiCking off a long-terM PartnershiP With eMBraer
EQUIPMENT
and produce the wheels, brakes and brak-ing control system. It
will also make hydraulic components for the nosewheel steering
system and the main gear extension/retraction system. According to
Serge Pons, head of the company’s Equipment division, this contract
was primar-ily won because the company paid close atten-tion to
Embraer’s requirements. “We listened to them, reacted quickly and
were competitive right from the start. Embraer immediately put us
to the test, and we delivered all the solutions they wanted.”
Very iMporTaNT ViSiTSA team from Embraer traveled to France in
early 2011 to meet their future partner and visit
production facilities. Christophe Coustham, KC-390 program
manager at Messier-Bugatti-Dowty, describes the visit: “A dozen of
their engineering, quality, environment and program management
specialists carried out a veritable audit of our facilities and
people. It was a deci-sive moment. They completely reviewed our
competencies, from production management to our engineers’ training
history! We also showed them that, despite already being the world
leader, we could very well custom-tailor products to their specs.”
Embraer visited France again in July 2011. “This time,” says Serge
Pons, “they wanted to check out our expertise in cut-ting-edge
technologies, especially everything to do with fly-by-wire
controls.”
Olivier Le Merrer, head of the Wheels & Brakes division,
describes the extensive contract won by Messier-Bugatti-Dowty:
“We’re in charge of the two wheels on the nose landing gear, and
the eight wheels on the main gear, along with the carbon brakes –
in other words, the complete system.” Messier-Bugatti-Dowty is even
more sat-isfied with this contract since the company was chosen as
sole-source supplier.
projected sales of up to
600 aircraft
metric tons payload
first flight planned in
20
2014
The kc-390 at a glance
Brazil, a strategic marketIs Brazil an emerging country? Olivier
Piepsz, director of the Latin american market for Safran, responds,
“I prefer to think of it as a ‘growing country’. Brazil is now the
world’s eighth leading economic power, with a well developed
industry. It recorded an impressive growth rate of 7.5% in 2010,
tempered down to 4.5% in 2011.” Given these conditions, it’s not
surprising to see that this Latin american giant covets a permanent
seat on the UN Security council.
Safran naturally plans to capitalize on this heady growth by
calling on its two local entities, Turbomeca do Brasil and
Morphocard do Brazil (see page 23), and by developing links with
major players such as Embraer. To accelerate its development in
this market, Safran has named Gérald Farrenc coordinator of
aircraft programs for Brazil.
Safran electrical systems for the kc-390Fellow Safran group
company hispano-Suiza was also selected by Embraer for the Kc-390,
and is in charge of several major electrical systems. The backup
electrical generation system, critical in case of an incident in
flight, comprises a ram air turbine, an electrical generator with
electronic control unit and the turbine actuation system. It
converts the airflow around the moving airplane into electricity,
needed in case of emergency to power flight controls and landing
gear. It is even more important on a military transport because of
the often demanding operating environment for this type of
aircraft.
hispano-Suiza is also providing the electrical distribution
system, which comprises both primary and secondary power
distribution. The primary section includes the management of
electrical power generated by different sources (main generators on
the engine accessory gearbox, auxiliary generator, backup
generation system, main battery and ground generating sets),
protection of aircraft systems and power supply to the electrical
network. The secondary section is in charge of distributing
electrical power to various aircraft systems and equipment.
hispano-Suiza is also responsible for the integration of the entire
electrical system on the aircraft.
© E
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26 _ December 2011 _ Safran Magazine Safran Magazine _ December
2011 _ 27
With increasing demand from governments for border secu-rity and
protection against identity fraud, biometric tech-nologies are on
the rise, and
already account for a global market estimated at $4
billion*.
Safran was one of the pioneers in this sector, and has
consolidated its leadership with the acquisition in July 2011 of
the American com-pany L-1 Identity Solutions. The L-1 businesses
dealing with sensitive government-related information have been
consolidated in a new company, MorphoTrust USA, Inc.
“The biometrics market is currently being restructured,”
explains Joseph Atick, former Executive Vice President and Chief
Strategic Officer at L-1. “After systems for police and defense
forces, civilian applications are now enjoying buoyant growth. The
customers in this segment, mainly governments, national agencies
and administrations, want suppliers who are reliable, and can offer
a wide range
in a world where megalopolises increas-ingly seek to attract
economic wealth, offering smoother traffic flows in city centers is
a major advantage,” explains Patrick Samier, head of Morpho’s
Iden-
tification division. “Our aim through this agreement with Selex
Elsag is to extend our offering beyond the simple manufacture of
road safety systems.” The first step in this teamwork is to extend
the portfolio of prod-ucts offered by both companies. Morpho brings
to the table its proven expertise in automated speed control, red
light cameras and ticket processing and issuance networks. Selex
Elsag is specialized in searches for sto-len or suspect vehicles,
in particular through license plate analysis systems. Its portable
systems have enabled the company to make a successful breakthrough
in the American market.
Safran has acquired American company L-1 Identity Solutions,
bolstering its world leadership in biometric identification, and
also consolidating its presence in the United States … a real
two-for-one deal!
By teaming up with Selex Elsag in June 2011, Morpho expanded its
offering of products to improve road safety.
Bolstering leadershiP
on the road to neW Markets
BIOMETrIcS
rOaD SaFETY
MarchéSMarkets
Milestones in Safran’s american development strategyThe purchase
of L-1 Identity Solutions follows several other acquisitions by
Safran in the U.S. security market: • april 2009: Printrak, which
groups Motorola’s biometric businesses. • SepTeMBer 2009: 81% of GE
homeland Protection, leader in systems for the detection of
dangerous and illicit substances. • july 2011: Syagen Technology, a
specialist in mass spectrometry for the detection of explosive
traces.
Where does the american biometrics market stand today? although
9/11
obviously boosted this high-potential market, the growth of
biometrics is still
hindered by certain cultural reflexes, which should abate in the
next ten years or so. What are the success factors in this market?
above all, size! The public sector is the largest customer in the
United States, and government departments want to be able to count
on solid companies – a
factor that drove various mergers and acquisitions in the last
few years. These companies also have to be able to sustain their
innovation capabilities, either in-house or by purchasing startups.
What are the growth drivers for the future? We expect strong growth
for
technologies integrated in mobile devices, such as smartphones.
The social security market also harbors growth potential, because
identification solutions will help reduce fraud. Lastly, a new
business model based on payment per transaction could energize the
market by helping customers avoid certain heavy investments.
President, acuity Market Intelligence
w C. Maxine Most
The american biometrics market
© D
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© G
etty
Imag
es
patents filed by l-1 identity Solutions for facial and iris
recognition
share of the global biometrics market held by the united
States
the european union’s target for reducing the number of road
victims by 2020.
million secure id documents delivered each year in the united
States by l-1.
300
the number of traffic fatalities in france in 2010 (versus 8,000
in 2002, when the first speed radars were installed).
4,000:
40%
50%:
100
an american soldier registers the fingerprint and iris pattern
of an afghan civilian during a search mission in february 2011.
of technologies, plus complete packages.” These conditions led
Safran to start a series of acquisitions in 2009 to add the
businesses that would round out Morpho’s offering.
coMpleMeNTary areaS of experTiSeBernard Didier, Executive Vice
President, Engineering and Strategy at Morpho, says that the
acquisition of L-1 was motivated by the two companies’
complementary areas of expertise, in terms of both geography and
technology. “In just five years, L-1 Identity Solutions became the
U.S. leader in biometric and access con-trol solutions, secure
identification documents and enrolment services.” Furthermore,
accord-ing to Joseph Atick, “Morpho is a leader in automated
fingerprint identification systems, while L-1 was the world leader
in facial and iris recognition.”
Safran’s Security business now covers a
broader market, with a complete array of solu-tions. “Through
this acquisition,” says Mor-pho’s Chairman and CEO Jean-Paul
Jainsky, “we will bolster our ability to provide high-level
services and solutions in the fast-changing global market for
biometrics and identity man-agement.”
* Source: International Biometric Group.
© L
-1 Id
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28 _ December 2011 _ Safran Magazine Safran Magazine _ December
2011 _ 29
MarchéSInsight
russian prime Minister Vladimir putin gets a first-hand look at
the feliN solder modernization system on the Safran stand at the
show.
T he LEAP engine, already chosen at the end of 2009 by Comac of
China as the sole powerplant for its new C919 single-aisle
commercial jet, then a year later by Airbus as one
of the engines offered on the new A320neo, continues to go from
success to success. Boe-ing recently chose the LEAP-1B version as
the exclusive powerplant on its reengined Boe-ing 737 MAX. “There
were two main factors behind Boeing’s decision, the engine’s
per-
formance and our outstand-ing relationship with this
manufacturer,” says Gaël Meheust, Vice President for Sales &
Marketing at Snecma. “In fact, this long-standing relationship is
one of the major reasons for the
global success of the Boeing 737 twinjet.” In addition to being
the sole engine offered on the Boeing 737 MAX, the LEAP has also
taken a significant share of Airbus A320neo orders to date.
After Comac and Airbus, Boeing has chosen the new LEAP engine to
power its single-aisle jets – the latest success for this
new-generation turbofan developed jointly by Snecma (Safran) and GE
via CFM International.
leaP extends CfM-Boeing PartnershiP
PrOPULSION
perforMaNce aNd ecoNoMy“The primary reason for the success of
CFM International’s product is undoubtedly its simplic-ity,”
explains Gaël Meheust. “We have shown that a reduction gearbox
isn’t necessary on this class of engine because it makes servicing
more expensive.” A main objective of today’s airlines is of course
to lower the total cost of ownership. Furthermore, with fuel costs
having jumped from 40 to 60% of total direct operating costs in
recent years, cutting fuel consumption is more than ever a critical
objective. Not only does the new LEAP engine address this issue,
but it also offers operators a more environmentally-friendly
solution. Its success is largely due to its excellent fit with the
evolving requirements of both air-craft manufacturers and their
customers.
More than 1,000 LEAP engines have been ordered to date, making
it the benchmark sin-gle-aisle jet powerplant for the coming
decades. Furthermore, a large majority of these custom-ers have
signed contracts that cover not only the engine itself, but also
maintenance con-tracts for periods up to 15 years.
© B
oein
g©
Dr
MarchéSMarkets
reduction in fuel consumption
leap’s advantages over current engines
less noise
15%
15 dB
leap customers for the a320neo (number of aircraft)• air asia
:
200 • republic airways
holdings : 80
• geCas : 60 • ilfC : 40• sas : 30 • Virgin america :
30• Cit : 15
i t was an excellent vintage for the show in general and for
Safran in particular,” says Marc Sorel, Russian Delegate for the
Saf-ran group. MAKS 2011 took place in Zhu-kovski, about 40
kilometers from Moscow,
in August 2011. “The show had a full slate of exhibitors and
visitors,” adds Sorel, “and for the first time we signed several
contracts and agree-ments during the show, reflecting its growing
maturity.”
Because of its major partnerships with the Rus-sian aerospace
industry, Safran wanted to clearly underscore the importance of
this event, as Marc Sorel explains: “Many of our corporate officers
traveled to MAKS, a sign of recognition which was greatly
appreciated by our hosts.” Further-more, Safran was the only French
exhibitor, and one of the few from Europe, to receive a visit from
Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin. Safran Chairman and CEO
Jean-Paul Herteman was on hand to welcome Mr. Putin and describe
the various products on display, in particular the FELIN integrated
equipment suite for soldier modernization programs.
expaNded preSeNceOne of the uncontested stars of MAKS 2011 was
Russia’s Sukhoi Superjet 100 regional jet. Safran is of course a
major contributor to the SSJ100, with nearly a dozen Group
companies provid-ing the engine, landing gear, avionics and other
major systems. The Safran stand showcased the aircraft’s SaM146
engine, a joint production of Snecma (Safran) and Russian
counterpart NPO Saturn, produced and marketed via the joint
ven-ture PowerJet. During the show, Russian carrier GazpromAvia
signed a maintenance contract with PowerJet, covering 20 SaM146
engines.
Another highlight of the airshow was the cre-ation of a joint
venture specialized in inertial navigation systems, between Group
company Sagem and two Russian companies: ZAO Iner-tial Technologies
of Technokomplex (ITT) and
JSC Rosoboronexport. “This is the first time that Russian
defense companies have signed an agreement of this type with a
foreign company,” notes Marc Sorel. The newly formed company will
further bolster Safran’s presence in Russia, in addition to the 300
Group employees already working there.
“Over the years Safran has forged its image as a very dependable
partner, and one that seeks to establish long-term relationships,”
says Sorel. “I believe that our relations with Russia will develop
very quickly over the coming years.”
Safran signed several major contracts at Russia’s leading
airshow and exhibition, MAKS 2011, further bolstering its
credibility in this key market.
safran exPands russian footPrint at Maks 2011
rUSSIa
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aircraft on static display
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30 _ December 2011 _ Safran Magazine Safran Magazine _ December
2011 _ 31
Back in 2009, Snecma already had a backlog of more than 6,000
CFM56 turbofan engines to be produced. Anticipating a further rise
in demand, the Safran group’s aero-engine spe-
cialist decided to revise its production processes. The end goal
was a significant improvement in both cost-competitiveness and the
workplace environment. Snecma’s strategy is proving its worth,
since the new-generation LEAP engine, which will replace the CFM56
in a few years, has
already logged a number of orders on its own. “We had to rethink
our engine assembly line
to keep pace with this growth,” says François Planaud, Vice
President and General Manager of Snecma’s Commercial Engine
division. “Pre-viously, each engine was assembled on a fixed
gantry. Now it’s assembled along a ‘pulse line’, with five
workstations covering different steps in the assembly process. The
completion of the last engine governs progress on the entire line,
with the other engines then moving to the fol-
Anticipation is the watchword. Safran is completely reorganizing
its assembly methods to keep pace with surging demand for CFM56 and
LEAP engines in the coming years, in particular by setting up a
pulse line.
airCraft engine asseMBly: raPid Pulse rate
PrODUcTION
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engines produced per year with a pulse line
days to complete an engine in 2011, versus 29 days in 1999
reduction in assembly time for an engine.
850
10
35%
MarchéSInsight
lowing station.” The effectiveness of the pulse line depends on
the precision of line sequencing, or takt time (“pulse rate”). A
considerable effort was made beforehand to synchronize this
process, by balancing workloads at all of these stations.
The first three workstations in the line are dedicated to the
main modules comprising the engine. The core (high-pressure
section) is mated to the fan on station 1, the low-pressure turbine
is assembled at station 2, and the accessory gearbox on station 3.
The other two workstations are dedi-cated to installation of the
engine control systems and external equipment.
perforMaNce iMproVeMeNT“These improvements are part of a series
of Lean-Sigma projects concerning the entire assembly cycle,” adds
François Planaud. “From the assem-bly of modules to the final,
pre-delivery opera-tions, the entire assembly process was reviewed.
Today, we can assemble a CFM56 in just ten days, meaning we have
shortened the cycle by 20 days in the last decade.” The combination
of Lean Manufacturing and Six Sigma approaches is a highly
efficient way of improving performance, and Safran is now
systematically deploying these techniques at all companies and
across all depart-ments. Its organization is based on company-
trained Green Belts, who coordinate various projects, and Black
Belts, proven experts in the Lean-Sigma approach. During a general
meeting on November 9, 2011 in Paris, the Green Belts and Black
Belts held discussions on best prac-tices and also shared with
their counterparts the lessons learned from successful projects at
their companies.
Ge, MaSTer of leaN-SiGMa“The Lean-Sigma culture developed at GE
start-ing back in the early 1990s,” explains Mike Wag-ner, plant
leader at the GE facility in Durham, North Carolina. “Increased
demand and faster production rates inspired us to find new ways of
improving productivity. One of the characteristics of this method
is that we can never say it’s fin-ished, even after a successful
project, because it is fundamentally about continuous
improvement.”
Improvements at GE are largely based on a system of build
stations to produce the core for all CFM56 engines and produce
CFM56-7 engines. GE builds each core subassembly at separate build
stations, then assembles them into the complete core at a vertical
build sta-tion. At the CFM56-7 horizontal build station, the core
is joined to the fan assembly, followed by all other main
assemblies.
Snecma’s new cfM56 engine assembly line at the Villaroche plant
near paris.
how did your skilled trade workers contribute to the creation of
the pulse line? They played a pivotal role in modeling the
workstations. The aim of this work is to determine the breakdown
of
operations for each phase, so that the assembly process is
unified. We insisted on the fact that everybody should participate,
because it was the key to success. In the end, the workers
whole-heartedly embraced
the initiative. and their commitment was even stronger because
they saw a real improvement in the organization of their
workstation, which reflected their suggestions and
expectations.
in concrete terms, what changed? First of all, the number of
workers per station: there are now three, versus one or two before.
Next, the tools are now directly associated with a workstation, so
no-one has to go looking for the right tool. another
important point is the batches of parts to be assembled arrive
already unpacked, ready for assembly. In general, workers have more
space, and more heavy handling equipment for the assembly of large
parts, which means a more comfortable working environment. another
important new feature is that fitters now have a direct phone line
to call the operational support team. If a part is damaged, or a
tool doesn’t work, they call immediately, and the
problem is solved in less than an hour by a specialist who comes
over to help.
Will this organization change any more? The process will
necessarily change because the engine itself is changing. For
example, on the cFM56-7B there are new wiring harnesses, so new
checks are needed. We must therefore adapt our breakdown of tasks.
This process is part of our job, we have to continue to improve so
we can always work as efficiently as possible.
head of operational support for the Engine Integrated Production
Unit, Snecma
w Manuel Martins
“participation: a key to project success”
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32 _ December 2011 _ Safran Magazine Safran Magazine _ December
2011 _ 33
MarchéSInsight
M assy, Bordes, Montluçon, Buche-lay, Dijon, Fougères… No, these
are not the latest stages in the Tour de France, but just a
par-tial list of Safran’s French facili-
ties that recently received hefty investments for modernization.
“Let me give you just one example,” says Denis Vercherin, Safran
Vice President for Production. “Turbomeca, the world’s leading
maker of turboshaft engines for helicopters, invested over one
hundred million euros to completely revamp its Bordes plant in
southwest France. The machinery and equipment were moved to a
brand-new 42,000-square-meter (453,600 sq ft) building that meets
the latest environmental and tech-nical standards.”
coST-coMpeTiTiVe producTioNThere are a number of reasons behind
Safran’s commitment to maintaining a strong indus-trial presence in
its original market. France offers the high-level skills and
refined exper-
A true multinational, Safran has also maintained an extensive
industrial footprint in its home market of France. In recent years
it has made hefty investments to modernize and expand these
facilities.
safran Modernizes its industrial faCilities in franCe
INDUSTrY
more modern site several kilometers away, in Buchelay. This new
plant was recently inaugu-rated by Marc Ventre, Deputy Chief
Executive Officer, Operations. Currently housing about 300
employees, experts in the design and pro-duction of helicopter
engine control units, the plant will add staff from Hispano-Suiza’s
Colombes site, specialized in the manufacture of similar parts for
military aircraft engines, by the end of 2011. The goal, of course,
is to con-solidate expertise in the precision mechanics needed for
engine control systems, enhance the skills base and improve
industrial efficiency. Plant general manager Philippe Girard
explains the benefits: “In addition to having a positive impact on
local business, this thirty million euro investment should also
spur the creation of a school to train electro-mechanical
techni-cians, financed by the local community.”
Another telling example of Safran’s commit-ment to its home
market is the Sagem plant in Montluçon, specialized in the
production of gyros and inertial navigation systems. Safran is one
of the few companies in the world to master this advanced
technology. To further cement its leadership in this sector, Safran
has invested some 50 million euros to create Coriolis, a new
19,000-square-meter (205,200 sq ft) building including 6,000 square
meters of clean rooms (64,800 sq ft), fully dedicated to the
production of these complex and highly strategic systems.
From plant to plant, Safran continues to modernize its
industrial base in France to keep pace with business growth.
Safran’s French roots provide solid foundations for its
international development, with a dozen new production facilities
opened in China, the United States, Mexico and India in just the
last three years.
tise that are indispensable in the Group’s busi-nesses.
According to François Anorga, Vice President for Industrial
Development, “France offers a network of skilled, responsive and
effi-cient suppliers that is largely unequalled, even in
Europe.”
Furthermore, a strong presence in France encourages both
innovation and competitive-ness. “Innovation today doesn’t just
mean com-ing up with good ideas in a laboratory,” notes production
chief Denis Vercherin. “These ideas have to be turned into products
that can be manufactured at competitive cost. But to meet that
goal, we have to bring our design and production teams closer
together, so they can communicate, share insights and react quickly
to any changes.”
iNVeSTiNG iN The fuTureFor all of the above reasons, Safran has
mul-tiplied its capital expenditures in France. One of the latest
was to move Turbomeca’s plant in Mézières-sur-Seine, near Paris, to
a new,
fougères: successful redeploymentThe Fougères production plant
was threatened with a complete shutdown when Safran decided to sell
its mobile phone business. But instead it implemented a major
redeployment program under the impetus of Safran chairman and cEO
Jean-Paul herteman. Fougères now handles three main activities: •
Production of certain components for the FELIN soldier
modernization
system, and assembly of the FELIN kit, including about one
hundred parts. • Production and integration of electronic
components for Group products
(computers, inertial reference systems, etc.). • Logistics for
spare parts and modules for Group company Turbomeca.
recent major industrial investments in france2010: construction
of a brand-new building at Turbomeca’s Bordes plant, spanning
42,000 square meters (101 million euros).
2010: transfer of several Sagem facilities in the greater paris
area (r&d, production, product support) to the new complex in
Massy (58 million euros).
2011: construction of the new 18,500 square meter coriolis
building in Montluçon (50 million euros).
on September 6, 2011, french defense Minister Gérard longuet
visited the Sagem industries plant in fougères, accompanied by
Safran chairman and ceo jean-paul herteman.
interior views of Turbomeca’s new plant in Buchelay, which will
produce parts for helicopter engines, as well as for the rafale and
Mirage fighters.
The new coriolis building in Montluçon (france), dedicated to
the assembly of gyros in clean rooms.
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w
Operation Harmattan, Solenzara air base, France, Summer 2011.
Two Rafale C fighters from the Provence Squadron 1/7 are lined up
on the runway, ready for a bombing run over Libya. Captain F.
recounts the mission.
Stories
AASM:
anti-air defense mission in Libya
After five hours of flight and three in-flight refueling
operations, I can see the beautiful beaches and creeks of Corsica
underneath. Back on the ground, I still have two or three hours of
work ahead of me for the detailed mission debriefing with
intelligence officers from the Harmattan detachment.
34 _ December 2011 _ safran Magazine safran Magazine _ December
2011 _ 35
In addition to the AA
SM
developed and produ
ced by
Sagem, Safran group
companies
design and produce a
number of
systems and equipm
ent for the
Rafale, including the
M88
engines, avionics, lan
ding
systems, wiring, etc.
w Moresee Aeros
pace applications at
www.safran-group.
com
* Airborne Warning and Control System aircraft.
Leaving the tanker, I head southeast, descending towards Libya.
A few more minutes and I announce the “fence in” that marks my
entrance into the operations zone. After crossing this invisible
border between war and peace, I arm the weapon and countermeasures
systems. Ready to rock & roll! It’s also the right time to get
in touch with the AWACS* plane that’s circling a few hundred
kilometers away, over an encrypted frequency of course.
- Wand de Fury 42, checking in. Two Rafale, playtime two hours.
Eight AASM. Everything’s ready. I can leave the Mediterranean and
enter Libyan territory.
Over the radio, I announce, “feet dry”. My airspeed indicator
says 450 knots, and I’m closing in on the target at
about 14 kilometers a minute. I’m ready, the plane is ready, the
weapons are ready. All mission data was uploaded to the aircraft’s
memory on leaving France. The aircraft then sends this data to its
weapon systems, especially the target coordinates and infrared
images. Firing a weapon is never easy, but the flexibility of the
AASM greatly simplifies the pilot’s life. During the mission
planning phase we determined the altitude, heading, airspeed and of
course exactly where we should fire the weapon. However, the
operational envelope of the AASM is so vast that it can also adjust
its flightpath depending on where it’s released.
Now I’m in the firing zone, at more than fifty kilometers from
the target. I touch the trigger. The plane vibrates for a fraction
of a second, and a bell announces that the first bomb is released,
with the second following a half-second later. I immediately bank
to the left to give the AASMs a free field. From the corner of my
eye, I can see their fins deploy and the engines ignite, as these
guided bombs head straight for their target. After firing two more,
I start back to base, still under the watchful eye of the AWACS. I
send in an initial in-flight mission report: “Feet wet, check out,
fence out…” Everything else goes very quickly.
french airspace
Libyan airspace
4
3french airspace1
-Control tower, Fury 42 requesting takeoff clearance on runway
18. -Fury 42, authorized for takeoff. Wind 200, 5 kt.
From the corner of my eye I can just make out my wingman behind
me. With the brakes still on I light the afterburners on my twin
M88 engines. A quick glance at the instrument panel shows that
we’re ready for takeoff.
Harness tight, visor down. With four AASM guided bombs, three
external fuel tanks, each with an extra 2,000 liters of jet fuel,
two Mica air-to-air missiles, and the Damocles target designation
pod, my Rafale multirole fighter weighs a little more than 20
metric tons. Once I release the brakes, it leaps forward,
accelerating to 100, then 150, then 170 knots. Rotation. A slight
pressure with my right hand on the control stick and the nose
wheels lift off the runway, quickly followed by the rest of the
plane. Rate of climb indicator positive, retract landing gear. The
Rafale continues to accelerate as it climbs. Far off on the left is
Italy, on the right, Corsica. Straight ahead, North Africa and
Libya.
Today’s mission: destroy a battery of Libyan SA-2 surface-to-air
missiles and a command post. It’s not my job to choose these
targets. The Combined Air Operations Center (CAOC) makes a daily
choice of targets, depending on intelligence reports from different
sources.
When attacking a surface-to-air missile launch site, you have to
remain at standoff distance, which means firing your weapons
kilometers from the target, while still ensuring sufficient
accuracy. The AASM weapon is a guided, powered bomb with hybrid
inertial/GPS guidance, making it ideal for this task. For a command
post, things are a bit different: firing from standoff range is
still a good idea, but precision is even more important, since the
building has a very small footprint. GPS guidance is not enough to
ensure accuracy to within a meter, so I also carry AASM weapons
with hybrid GPS/IR (infrared) guidance. The weapon uploads an
infrared model of the target, and can recognize it to ensure a
high-precision strike – and reduce collateral damage.
Corsica is now well behind me. I rendezvous with the in-flight
tanker to top up my tanks with another three tons of fuel.
internationaL airspace2
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- S. R
andé
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marchésInterview
36 _ December 2011 _ safran Magazine safran Magazine _ December
2011 _ 37
safran Magazine: You have now headed HEC Paris for more than 15
years. What changes have struck you most during this time? Bernard
Ramanantsoa: First, I think it’s important to emphasize the degree
to which HEC Paris is now recognized and chosen by students and
teachers from around the world. Three figures are especially
tell-ing: 40% of the students in our master’s program are from
outside France, while this percentage reaches 85% for the MBA
program, designed for people who have already worked for several
years. Back in the early 1990s, virtually all students at HEC were
French. Our faculty has followed the same path, with non-French
teachers now accounting for nearly 60% of the total.
All of this obviously impacts our rela-tions with the business
world. We have to move even closer to international compa-nies,
whether based in France or not. At the same time, we have also
shifted HEC’s focus more towards research. If we want to com-pete
in the “big leagues”, as the Americans say, then we have to be a
“research school”, while the “minor leagues” is reserved to
“teaching schools”. This is obviously an over-simplification, but
it also means that our teaching is inspired by research, whereas
the education provided in pure “teaching
schools” is based more on predefined con-cepts and models. Do
you see an end to these two major trends, internationalization and
a greater focus on research, or are they still developing? B. R.:
We still have a lot of room for improvement in both areas, even if
we are the uncontested leader among French business schools. In
terms of research, for
instance, HEC made it into the Shanghai Academic Ranking of
World Universities for the first time this year. This ranking
compares some 1,200 institutions of higher learning according to
indicators related to research. In the “Economics/Business”
sec-tion, we made it into the Top 100, at No. 75.
We also plan to make further progress in terms of our
international status. We are already very pleased to offer double
degrees in partnership with prestigious schools such as MIT or
Tsinghua University in Beijing,
“We have developed our teaching methods with a greater emphasis
on research.”Bernard Ramanantsoa
HEC Paris is considered the most prestigious business school in
France. It provides a full slate of educational services, including
MBA and Executive MBA degrees, a PhD program and a wide variety of
executive training courses. Bernard Ramanantsoa was appointed Dean
of this Grande Ecole in 1995, and has considerably enhanced its
international status. He has also developed a number of
partnerships with industry, including teaming up with Safran to
endow a chair for “Innovative Program Management – Aerospace
Applications”.
The School for excellence
Interview with Bernard Ramanantsoa, Dean of HEC Paris business
school
Degree from sup’Aéro aeronautical engineering school
Full-time professor at HEC Paris
Degree from MBA “Institut supérieur des Affaires” from HEC
Paris
Dean of HEC Paris Elected Chairman of CEMs (Community of
European Management schools)
1971 19791976 1995 2006
© J
im W
alla
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and we have developed joint programs with the London School of
Economics and New York University. We will of course continue to
move forward in this area.
What helps HEC stand out in the world of world-class schools? B.
R.: It’s a tradition at HEC to be very close to the world of
business. Throughout the his-tory of our school, this relationship
has taken on many forms, but today the favored model is that of
endowing chairs, which enables us to carry out advanced research,
while still stay-ing close to economic realities, and training
students in subjects we believe are at the cut-ting edge. HEC now
has about fifteen chairs, each associated with a company. In the
indus-trial sector, we team up with Renault, Total and Safran for
instance, while in the luxury
38 _ December 2011 _ safran Magazine safran Magazine _ December
2011 _ 39
marchésInterview
Given the increasing challenges of innovation, safran is
developing a
proactive recruitment policy targeting young talents from
diverse horizons. at the same
time, to meet these challenges safran must bolster certain
specific skills, including program management and customer service.
against this backdrop, safran, hEc Paris and IsaE recently teamed
up to create a chair called “Innovative Program management”.
This partnership, the first of its type, reflects safran’s
commitment to innovation in management. It will allow safran
employees to form close ties with the students in these schools,
who will also be made aware of the rich variety of career
opportunities in the Group.
along the same lines, safran has also formed a partnership with
Pierre & marie curie University (Paris VI) covering
certain engineering sciences masters degrees. It is aimed at
students finishing their studies, who want to work in industry or
research. safran is offering support to help them determine their
professional career path. This partnership clearly reflects
safran’s commitment to bringing together the worlds of industry and
academia.
Vice President for human resources at safran
“A safran chair to train engineer-managers”
w Jean-luc Bérard
How has course content changed in recent years? B. R.: Today,
all of our students are perfectly at ease in international
environments, and our programs have quite naturally followed this
trend. The most commonly spoken lan-guage on the HEC campus in 2011
is English. Furthermore, a foreign student can take any degree
program at HEC without speaking a word of