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French armed forces select Safran parachutes for heavy equipment drops
Following a Europe-wide competition that lasted three years, the French defense procurement agency DGA has chosen Safran to supply an air delivery system capable of releasing heavy loads from the A400M military transport.
The contract includes 200 side door release systems and 160 gravity release systems. They can be used to drop loads of between 320 kg and 4 metric tons, depending on configuration.
France is the first European country to develop a new cargo drop system designed for the new A400M airlifter. It will replace the systems now in service, which were designed back in the 1960s.
Safran Aerosystems is the legacy supplier of parachutes to French armed forces, a position it has held for over 60 years. The company designed and developed the individual and rescue parachutes now deployed by a number of different armed forces. Safran Electronics & Defense took over operational management of this business line in February 2019.
This latest selection reflects Safran’s proven expertise in air delivery systems and the excellence of its design department at Plaisir, in the greater Paris area. It will also generate a sustained workload for the production plant in Joué-lès-Tours, near Tours in central France.
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