During the month of April, several Safran sites in France hosted a group of students and faculty members from the Washington, D.C.-based Eisenhower School for National Security and Resource Strategy.
During the weeklong tour, this group of military and industry leaders visited Safran Nacelles and Safran Landing Systems in Toulouse and Safran Helicopter Engines in Bordes.
The Eisenhower School prepares its graduates for strategic leadership roles in the U.S. defense industry and as national security policymakers. Its Class of 2024 marks the 100th Year Anniversary since the school's founding.
In addition to learning about Safran's activities while visiting the company's sites, the group was interested in the challenges of creating and maintaining a workforce, as well as exploring manufacturing innovation and understanding the challenges/opportunities faced by Safran business units.
The visits started on April 15 at Safran Nacelles' Colomiers facility in the Toulouse region, where Site Director Xavier Durupt highlighted the activities of the company's 54,000 sq. meter facility, which include nacelle podding, engine integration, research and development, design, and customer support and services.
Safran Landing Systems was the next stop, where the group was hosted by Romain Coeffic, Director of Support Operations. Also located in Toulouse near Airbus' concentration of final assembly lines, the Safran Landing Systems facility is the headquarters for the final assembly line support teams, which also hosts a dedicated engineering team. Additionally, there is a training center offering customers and operators a comprehensive choice of hands-on training sessions to perfect their knowledge of the company's products.
Through its facility in Walton, Kentucky, Safran Landing Systems has been a trusted supplier to the U.S. Department of Defense, equipping more than 800 aircraft since 1999. The company recently was selected to provide the landing gear system for Bell's Future Long Range Assault Aircraft (FLRAA). Safran Landing Systems Toronto also hosted a similar visit for a group of students from the Eisenhower School during the month of April.
The tour of Safran in France concluded on April 19 with a visit to Safran Helicopter Engines' site in Bordes. This state-of-the art facility serves as the headquarters and the main production and R&D site of Safran Helicopter Engines. Frederic Dalakupeian, Head of Public Affairs at Safran Helicopter Engines, hosted the group in Bordes. Activities represented in Bordes include the assembly of production engines, the manufacture of subassemblies, and the design and development of new engines.
Through its Grand Prairie location, Safran Helicopter Engines supports 1,325 engines in service, powering the U.S. Army's UH-72 Lakota; the U.S. Coast Guard's Airbus MH-65 Dolphin; as well as helicopters operated by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection. In April, the company announced it had renewed its contract with the U.S. Coast Guard to support the Arriel engines powering this maritime service's MH-65 helicopters.
These visits of the Eisenhower School students provided a platform to showcase the Safran Group's advanced industrial capabilities and highlight the importance of U.S. programs that are supported by the company's 10,000 employees working across 24 states.
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