EDITORIAL, BY OLIVIER ANDRIÈS

ear colleagues,

In today’s world of rising geopolitical tensions, our defense business really comes into its own. To pave the way for a less uncertain future, it is critical to protect citizens through defense solutions that effectively equip the armed forces to prevent danger and ensure geopolitical stability as well as to explore the infinite resources of space. We can be very proud of our accomplishments.

Safran’s defense expertise is widely recognized, as shown by the recent sales success of Euroflir systems, or our MRO services for military helicopter engines. We can leverage this global recognition for our capabilities to continue developing technologies across a range of sectors. One target is space surveillance, as you’ll see in this latest issue of ONE.

The crisis in the Ukraine has highlighted the need for increased investment and co-operation for Europe’s defense. One flagship program is Europe’s large-scale Future Combat Air System, or FCAS. Last year we formed the Eumet joint venture with MTU in order to develop the engine for Europe’s Next-Generation Fighter (NGF) for which we are the system architect. We’re now awaiting an agreement between the other industrial partners to launch the program which will be an important signal of European defense cooperation. We will continue to invest both internally and through targeted acquisitions, such as that of Orolia that we recently completed, in order to stay at the cutting edge of technology.

Defense is an integral part of our business model: being a dual company with expertise in both the civil and military sectors supports the long-term viability of our technical and industrial expertise and helps build solid foundations for the future.

Olivier Andriès,
Chief Executive Officer