Safran buying helicopter engine stake from Rolls-Royce for $390M
by Canadian Manufacturing Daily Staff
RTM322 engine powers Apache, EH101 Merlin and NH90 helicopters
PARIS—Rolls-Royce is selling its stake in a military helicopter engine program to joint venture partner Safran for $390-million.
The work on the RTM322 engine program will be transferred to Safran subsidiary Turbomeca over three years, giving Safran a 100 per cent stake in the project.
The RTM322 engine powers the Apache, EH101 Merlin and NH90 helicopters.
Setting itself up to provide high-power engines for military use, Turbomeca is aiming to supply approximately 3,500 engines for defence platforms over the next 15 years.
The Adour engine program, another joint venture between Rolls-Royce and Turbomeca, is unaffected by the transaction, according to Safran.
That program supplies powerplants for the Hawk and Jaguar aircrafts.
The transaction is expected to close before the end of the year, subject to regulatory approval.
