Sagem And MTU Join Forces On Control Software

Sagem, part of France’s Safran Group, and Germany’s MTU Aero Engine have formed a 50-50 joint venture company for equipment control software and hardware. Dubbed Aerospace Embedded Solutions (AES), the new company will provide “safety-critical” products for military and civil aviation with applications including engines, landing gear and thrust reversers.

“Control computers are increasingly sophisticated,” Marc Ventre, Safran’s deputy CEO, operations, told AIN. The creation of AES brings together existing capabilities of both companies. The TP400 turboprop that powers the Airbus A400M and the MTR390, the turboshaft used by the Eurocopter Tiger, are examples of products on which AES will focus.

AES will be headquartered in Munich, Germany, and most of its first 200 engineers will come from MTU. Sagem’s Christophe Bruneau will be the CEO and MTU’s Thomas Faehr will be chief technical officer. Operations are due to start “by the end of the year,” said the companies.