Safran
Born in 2005 from an engine maker rooted in the 1909 Gnome rotary and an electronics firm that guided France’s missiles, Safran co-builds the CFM56 and LEAP with GE and makes army drones.
Safran: the company and the aircraft that made its name
Rudder blades and saffron
Safran was formed on 11 May 2005 when the state-controlled engine maker Snecma merged with the electronics group SAGEM. The name was chosen from 4,250 suggestions, 1,750 of them from staff: in French a safran is the blade of a rudder, and also saffron, the spice the company likes to link with early international trade. Behind the new name lay two long histories. Snecma descended from Gnome, founded by Louis Seguin in 1905, whose Gnome Omega rotary of 1909 helped put early aviators in the air, and from Gnome et Rhône, nationalised in 1945.
From the Gnome to the LEAP
Snecma’s greatest bet was a partnership with General Electric. In 1974 the two founded CFM International, a 50-50 joint venture, to build the CFM56 turbofan. For years no airliner maker would sign, and the French government threatened to stop the programme, but the CFM56 first entered airline service in 1982, went on to power the new European twinjet, the Airbus A320, and was followed by the LEAP. In 2019 alone CFM delivered 2,127 engines. Safran also builds the M88 that powers the Dassault Rafale and is setting up M88 work in India.
Drones, Zodiac and a CAC 40 giant
On the SAGEM side came guidance, optronics and drones. Safran Electronics & Defense makes the Patroller, a medium-altitude long-endurance drone based on the Stemme S15 motor glider, first flown in Finland in 2009 and ordered by the French Army and Greece. In 2018 Safran bought the cabin maker Zodiac Aerospace, adding seats and interiors, and in 2025 it closed the purchase of Collins Aerospace’s actuation business after an Italian government veto was challenged. By 2025 it employed over 92,000 people, with revenue of €31.3 billion.
Safran in numbers
Şirket
- Kısacası
- Founded 2005
- Merger of Snecma and SAGEM on 11 May 2005
- Headquartered in Paris; listed on Euronext, member of the CAC 40
- French state holds 11.72 per cent (June 2025)
- Bought Zodiac Aerospace in 2018
Üretme
- En çok bilinen yönü
- CFM56 ve LEAP motorları
- CFM International joint venture with GE, founded 1974
- M88 engine for the Dassault Rafale
- Helicopter turboshafts, landing gear, nacelles, avionics, seats and cabins
- Patroller MALE drone
Bugün
- Şimdi
- CAC 40 aerospace group
- Over 92,000 employees
- Revenue €31.32 billion in 2025
- Strategic partnership with Baykar on drone systems signed in 2026
Sayılar
- Hasılat
- €31.32 billion2025
- Çalışanlar
- over 92,0002025
- CFM engine deliveries
- 2,1272019
- French state shareholding
- 11.72 per cent2025
- Name suggestions considered
- 4,2502005
Every notable Safran aircraft
Photos:
| Uçak | Rol | İlk uçuş | İnşa edildi | Durum | Not |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Safran Devriye Aracı | MALE reconnaissance UAV | 2009 | Üretim aşamasında | French Army plans 28 drones in five systems by 2030; Greece first export customer |
Safran aircraft in the world’s air forces
1 air forces in the Order of Battle fly or flew Safran types. Bunlardan birinin hala bir tanesi hizmette.
| Hava kuvvetleri | Hizmette | Eskiden uçuruluyordu |
|---|---|---|
| Fransız Ordusu Hafif Havacılığı | Safran Devriye Aracı |
Where Safran built, who led it, what it achieved
Fabrikalar
- Hyderabad · Hyderabad, India — LEAP turbine seals, wiring harnesses; planned M88 maintenance
Rekorlar ve ilkler
- CFM International: 1,736 LEAP and 391 CFM56 delivered in 2019
- Zodiac takeover made Safran the third-largest aerospace supplier at the time, behind United Technologies and GE Aviation
Safran, year by year
Louis Seguin founds Gnome
Production of the Gnome Omega rotary engine begins
Gnome et Rhône nationalised as Snecma
Snecma and GE found CFM International
CFM56 first commercial flight, Delta DC-8 Super 70
Safran formed by the merger of Snecma and SAGEM
Patroller drone first flight at Kemijärvi, Finland
Airbus Safran Launchers joint venture created
Takes control of Zodiac Aerospace
Greece orders four Patrollers
Purchase of Collins Aerospace actuation business completed
Strategic partnership with Baykar on unmanned systems
Before and after Safran
Everything people ask about Safran
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Around Safran
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Doğrulama tarihi: 2026-10-03.