Safran Aircraft Engines

Safran Aircraft Engines, formerly Snecma, is a French aerospace propulsion manufacturer headquartered in Courcouronnes and a core subsidiary of the Safran group. The company designs, develops, produces, and supports propulsion systems for commercial and military aircraft, helicopters, and space launchers, with deep roots tracing back to the nationalization of Gnome & Rhone in 1945 and the formation of the modern Safran group in 2005. Its most significant program is its 50/50 joint venture with GE Aerospace, CFM International, which produces the CFM56 and the LEAP turbofan families that power narrow-body aircraft including the Airbus A320neo and Boeing 737 MAX. For the LEAP engine, Safran Aircraft Engines manufactures resin transfer molding (RTM) carbon-composite fan blades and fan cases, while the program also incorporates ceramic matrix composite components and fuel nozzles produced through metal additive manufacturing, reflecting the company's investment in advanced and digital production technologies. Final assembly of CFM engines takes place at Safran facilities in Villaroche, France, and at GE facilities near Cincinnati, Ohio.

Beyond commercial engines, Safran Aircraft Engines develops military propulsion such as the M88 engine for the Dassault Rafale and the M53, and it contributes to space propulsion programs. The company applies additive manufacturing, robotics-assisted assembly, automated inspection, and digital manufacturing across its industrial sites to improve precision and throughput, and it operates a global MRO and services network supporting its installed engine fleet.