MBDA France and Sagem Défense Sécurité signed a cooperation agreement on May 14 concerning the modular air-to-ground weapon (AASM) and infrared guidance for tactical missiles. The agreement was signed by Antoine Bouvier, Chief Executive Officer of MBDA, and Jean-Louis Fournereaux, Chairman and CEO of Sagem Défense Sécurité. Also present at the signing ceremony was Jean-Paul Herteman, Chief Executive Officer of the SAFRAN Group. Under the terms of the agreement, MBDA France will be responsible for all sales and marketing of the AASM family developed by Sagem Défense Sécurité. The two companies will also combine their respective areas of expertise to form a close partnership for the joint development of future versions of the AASM family. The AASM is an all-weather precision weapon, comprising a guidance kit and a range extension kit that can be added to standard warheads. It is made in two versions. The version with inertial guidance and GPS, offering "10-meter" accuracy, is already deployed by the French air force in foreign operations. A "1-meter" version, including an infrared seeker, is now being qualified. French armed forces have already ordered 700 AASM systems, including both versions. The AASM family will join MBDA France's range of tactical weapons for aircraft, allowing the AASM family to be included in any comprehensive offers aimed at meeting the requirements of air forces worldwide. MBDA France and Sagem Défense Sécurité also agreed to leverage the commercial and technical synergies associated with their respective positions to propose highly competitive solutions to air forces around the world. For infrared guided missiles, this agreement extends a collaboration between MATRA and SAT that started more than 50 years ago, and was consolidated in 1987 with the creation of the ADISM consortium. This consortium developed the infrared seekers for the MAGIC, MISTRAL and MICA IR missiles. Through this latest cooperation agreement, MBDA France and Sagem Défense Sécurité continue to offer world-class solutions for tomorrow's French and European missiles.

MBDA
With annual sales of more than €3 billion, an order book exceeding €13 billion and over 70 customers around the world, MBDA is one of the leading missile system companies in the world. MBDA currently has 45 operational programs for missile systems and countermeasures and has proven its leadership in the management of large multinational defense projects.  MBDA is jointly held by BAE SYSTEMS (37.5%), EADS (37.5%) and FINMECCANICA (25%).

SAFRAN
SAFRAN is an international high-technology group with four core businesses: Aerospace Propulsion, Aircraft Equipment, Defense Security, and Communications. It has 60,000 employees in over 30 countries, and annual revenues of 12 billion euros. The SAFRAN Group comprises a number of companies with prestigious brand names, and holds, alone or in partnership, global or European leadership positions in all of its markets.

 
Safran, groupe français d'aéronautique, défense, sécurité  vient d'ouvrir un  sixième site au Mexique, un bon terrain d'implantation en zone dollar pour une société qui cherche à limiter les effets de l'euro fort. "Nous consacrons chaque année 150 millions d'euros aux investissements à l'étranger. J'ai inauguré 11 sites à l'étranger en un an, 3 en Chine, 3 aux Etats-Unis et 3 au Mexique, mais notre noyau industriel reste l'Europe", développe Jean-Paul Herteman, président du directoire du groupe Safran. Concernant les délocalisations au plan international il ajoute que  "C'est la seule façon de lutter contre l'effet du dollar (...) Sur les trois dernières années, la baisse du dollar nous a coûté un milliard d'euros de résultats". "Pour 2008, l'effet négatif sera de 700 millions d'euros", heureusement "nos gains de productivité nous permettent de compenser la baisse du dollar" a t-il précisé à nos contacts locaux.  Né du rapprochement entre  Sagem spécialiste dans les secteurs de l'électronique, défense et télécommunications  et de la Snecma  équipementier aéronautique et motoriste, le groupe Safran,  a réalisé un chiffre d'affaires de 12 milliards d'euros en 2007. En ce qui concerne la stratégie internationale, le groupe  Safran a créé six filiales au Mexique: maintenance de moteurs, train d'atterrissage, câblage, systèmes de connectique et équipements aéronautiques. Au Mexique dans la ville de  Queretaro, Jean-Paul Herteman a inauguré la semaine derniere Snecma America Engine Services (SAMES), qui assure la maintenance des moteurs CFM 56-5 des Airbus A320, puis à l'horizon 2009, celle des CFM 56-7B des Boeing 737, deux moteurs construits en partenariat avec l'américain General Electric. Une joint venture avec l'espagnol ITP permet à SAMES d'utiliser son banc d'essai, très onéreux  à construire. SAMES est  prêt à recevoir les moteurs des avions de Mexicana de Aviacion et de l'américain Northwest Airlines qui étaient jusque là envoyés en France. Depuis le pôle aéronautique de Queretaro, où opèrent également le canadien Bombardier et la filiale de Safran pour la maintenance des trains d'atterrissage, SAMES envisage de couvrir prochainement compte tenu de la demande  du continent américain, de suivre  la maintenance des moteurs venant d'autres régions, si la capacité du site (objectif de 200 moteurs par an) le permet. Le patron du goupe Safran explique que les avantages du Mexique  sont "Une main d'oeuvre qualifiée, une administration pas trop bureaucratique et efficace, un coût du travail intéressant et des coûts de revient attractifs car le peso est lié au dollar". Le Mexique, leader  du libéralisme économique, est lié par des traités de libre-échange avec une quarantaine de pays dont les Etats-Unis, le Canada, l'Union européenne et le Japon. Safran est devenu le premier industriel de l'aéronautique au Mexique, avec 3.800 employés répartis dans trois région du pays. "Nous sommes plus que satisfaits des résultats", dit Jean-Paul Herteman qui envisage d'y accroître encore sa présence. A suivre

The SAFRAN Group, which already has extensive operations in North America, is further expanding its presence with the opening of a new CFM56 maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) facility in Querétaro, Mexico. Jean-Paul Herteman, Chief Executive Officer of SAFRAN, and José-Manuel Manzanedo Diaz, Chairman of ITR, today inaugurated the new Snecma Services subsidiary, Snecma America Engine Services (SAMES) in Querétaro. Also attending the ceremony were Bruno Ferrari, representing Eduardo Sojo, Mexican minister of the economy; director of Promexico and Francisco Garrido-Patron, Governor of the State of Querétaro. The opening of this new MRO facility, dedicated to CFM56-5A, -5B and -7B aircraft engines, reflects Snecma Services' commitment to expanding its industrial capabilities and worldwide support network. With the opening of SAMES, Snecma Services moves closer to its airline customers in North and South America, to deliver the optimised services they expect in a very competitive market. Strategically located in the Americas, SAMES is the first CFM56 MRO facility in the region affiliated with the original equipment manufacturer (OEM). Starting operation in record time, this new facility features state-of-the-art machinery, equipment and information systems. Its location also gives it easy access to ITR's resources, including the engine test cell. ITR is a 49% partner in SAMES. During the opening ceremony Jean-Paul Herteman said: "The inauguration of this new facility clearly reflects the importance of Mexico in SAFRAN's international development strategy. For our group, the dynamic Mexican economy, plus access to qualified labor in the U.S. dollar zone, allows us to offer our services at very competitive prices while still guaranteeing OEM quality. I am sure that our current investments will spur further development and partnerships with Mexican industry." JM Manzanedo Diaz, Chairman ITR said: "We are very satisfied with this partnership with Snecma Services which reinforces the relations of the ITP group with the SAFRAN group. Snecma America Engine services progresses in accordance with our objectives and ITR will do everything within its power to guarantee the success of SAMES."

SAFRAN is an international high-technology group with four core businesses: Aerospace Propulsion, Aircraft Equipment, Defense Security, and Communications. It has 60,000 employees in over 30 countries, and annual revenues of 12 billion euros. The SAFRAN Group comprises a number of companies with prestigious brand names, and holds, alone or in partnership, global or European leadership positions in all of its markets.  Turborreactores, S.A. de C.V. - ITR provides worldwide the following services: Engine MRO for JT8D-STD, JT8D-200 & TPE-331, parts and accessories repair, engine maintenance on site, technical assistance, design and development engineering services for aircraft engine programs, engineering support (fleet management), technical documentation, manufacturing of components and engine leasing.