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Munich, July 6th, 2012 - Sagem (Safran group) and MTU Aero Engines today announced the signature of an agreement to form a 50/50 joint venture, AES Aerospace Embedded Solutions GmbH  to provide safety-critical software and hardware for military and civil aviation applications. The agreement was signed by Philippe Petitcolin, Chairman and CEO of Sagem (Safran group), and Egon Behle, CEO of MTU Aero Engines, in a ceremony also attended by Jean-Paul Herteman, Chairman and CEO of the Safran group. 

This signature follows the Memorandum of Agreement announced in December 2011 by Sagem and MTU Aero Engines. “The grouping of competences is a determining step to jointly open new markets. Therefore, the new joint venture will offer additional positive perspectives for our businesses. Together with Sagem we will focus on accessing a multitude of future development programs within the global aviation and defense industry,“ said Egon Behle, CEO of MTU Aero Engines.

AES will deploy some 200 engineers, primarily from MTU Aero Engines but also some from Safran. Its main products will include control systems for engines such as the TP400-D6 turboprop powering the Airbus A400M military transport, as well as other safety-critical hardware and software solutions such as controls for landing gear, braking, monitoring and information systems. AES will consolidate its skills and expertise by calling on the Safran Electronics division of Sagem, which will provide its full support and access to its large portfolio of onboard electronics.

According to Philippe Petitcolin, CEO of Sagem, “For MTU and Sagem, the creation of AES marks a significant step forward in the consolidation of European centers of excellence in critical aerospace and defense technologies. Along with our partner, we now have a competitive, innovative offering of products and services that allows us to better meet the requirements of new European programs”.The new company will be staffed by experienced professionals in software & hardware development, program management, quality and certification. Leveraging this experience and expertise, AES will support both Safran's and MTU's programs, as well as working for other industries requiring safety-critical hardware and software.

AES will be headquartered in Munich, Germany on the MTU campus. Christophe Bruneau of Sagem will be the Chief Executive Officer and Thomas Fähr of MTU Aero Engines will be the Chief Technical Officer. Pending regulatory approval, AES should start operations by the end of the year.


About Sagem
Sagem, a high-tech company in the Safran group, holds world or European leadership positions in optronics, avionics, electronics and safety-critical software for both civil and military markets. Sagem is the No. 1 company in Europe and No. 3 worldwide for inertial navigation systems (INS) used in air, land and naval applications. It is also the world leader in helicopter flight controls and the European leader in optronics and tactical UAV systems. Operating across the globe through the Safran group, Sagem and its subsidiaries employ 7,500 people in Europe, Southeast Asia and North America. Sagem is the commercial name of the company Sagem Défense Sécurité. For more information about Sagem: www.sagem-ds.com

About MTU Aero Engines
MTU Aero Engines, Germany’s leading and the country’s only independent engine manufacturer, is a global player in the industry. A technology leader, the company excels in high-pressure compressors and low-pressure turbines, as well as in manufacturing and repair procedures. MTU Maintenance is the world's largest independent provider of commercial engine maintenance, repair and overhaul services. In the military arena, MTU is Germany's industrial lead company for practically all engines flown by the country's armed forces. MTU has a workforce of some 8,200 employees and, in fiscal year 2011, posted consolidated sales of more than 2.9 billion euros. To obtain all press releases and pictures of MTU: http://www.mtu.de