Page 29 - AAA JANUARY - FEBRUARY 2019 Online Magazine

[ MAINTENANCE REPAIR OVERHAUL ]

Lucrative

Opportunity

MILITARY MRO IS IN THE MIDST OF
A TRANSFORMATION

Atul Chandra

could also drive military MRO activity in these
countries.

Powerplant Revolution
Military aero engine MRO remains highly lucra-
tive as a single customer nation, will normally
operate an aircraft type for at least 40 years.
Military aero engine maintenance contracts
have also changed over the last decade, with
the adoption of guaranteed level of availabil-
ity for engines, spares and ground support
equipment instead of more traditional main-
tenance approaches. The development of
engine health monitoring techniques designed
to improve operational capability, has also been
a major advance, in military aero engine MRO.
In February, MTU Aero Engines and Safran
Aircraft Engines, officially announced their
partnership to jointly lead the development,
the production and the after-sales support
activities of the new engine that will power the
next-generation combat aircraft, as part of the
The Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) of expensive modern Franco-German Future Combat Air System
military assets is rapidly transforming in the digital era of today, (FCAS). “In the military engine business we see
as older generation analogue based systems are being largely potential above all in an engine for a next-gen-
replaced in modern militaries. The need for a military platform to eration European fighter jet. MTU is preparing
be operationally available at all times, is often an expensive affair intensively for a participation in the new engine
and cost cutting can have dangerous implications, when a conflict program,” said Reiner Winkler, CEO of MTU
or warlike situation suddenly rears its head. As per Vision gain Aero Engines AG.
Consultancy, the global market for MRO for military aircraft alone
is worth tune of US$35.7 billion. With increased defence spending The FCAS is planned to have service entry
in Asia and the Middle East, the global military MRO market is in 2040 and will replace the Eurofighter and
expected to witness steady growth in the foreseeable future. The Rafale. The technology and demonstrator pro-
emergence of new technologies will also present a challenge to gramme, will get underway by middle of this
militaries that will need to invest in high tech tools and technol- year. Safran Aircraft Engines will be the Engine
ogies to keep their state-of-the-art military platforms in a high integrator and take the lead in engine design
state of readiness. However, digitisation and improved inventory and integration, while engine services will be
management are also likely to deliver real savings in the years to the responsibility of MTU Aero Engines. Safran
come. The growth of Israel, Turkey, South Korea and China as cred- will develop the combustor, high-pressure tur-
ible and dependable suppliers of sophisticated military equipment bine and the afterburner for the futuristic aero

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