Safran to support RDAF

Safran Helicopter Engines has announced the signing of a contract with Denmark’s Defence Acquisition and Logistics Organisation (DALO) to support the Royal Danish Air Force’s (RDAF) 11 Arriel 1D1-powered AS550C2 Fennec. The contract will see the aircraft’s engines covered by Safran’s Global Support Package (GSP) until their retirement in the mid-2030s.

The deal is on top of Safran’s existing seven-year contract with the RDAF which the pair singed in 2016. The deal saw Safran support 14 RTM 322-powered EH101 Merlins and protect 75 engines.

“DALO looks forward to this agreement ensuring sufficient engines to support operational tasks during the period,” Captain Kim Bo Meier, Director Air Force Systems at DALO. “The contract reaffirms the excellent working relationship that exists between the parties.”

Safran’s GSP gives the RDAF a ‘commitment to have serviceable engines available whenever they need them’, whilst also committing to budget certainty, fixed price per engine flying hour and a technical partnership with the OEM.

Olivier Le Merrer, Safran Helicopter Engines Executive Vice President Support & Services, said: “This contract marks a major new milestone in our partnership with DALO and the RDAF. We will deliver world-class services to guarantee the availability of their engines, thus demonstrating that the GSP model is particularly well-suited to supporting the engine fleets of modern armed forces.”

The GSP will be managed by Safran Helicopter Engines Germany.