Despite the release of two new policy documents this month, the United Kingdom’s industrial participation policy has made limited progress, industry experts inform CTO. The “social values” criterion in particular, a requirement that runs parallel to IPP, has been applied inconsistently across tenders and sometimes deviates entirely from the policy’s original purpose. Industry’s confusion persists as the Ministry of Defence prepares to launch its first pilot programme under the policy.
French President Emmanuel Macron has approved Safran’s offer to jointly design, develop, test, manufacture, and certify an engine for India’s twin-engine advanced multi-role combat aircraft (AMCA) with 100 percent transfer of technology. The process is expected to take ten years and the cost is “pretty much in the ballpark of” Safran’s competitors, explains Safran officials.
Safran is offering India its first-ever in-country helicopter engine production facility, as well as 100-percent transfer of technology linked to the Shakti engine, a mainstay of India’s helicopters across all services.
Seven years after India’s controversial purchase of 36 Rafale aircraft from Dassault Aviation, the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) has approved the purchase of an additional 26 Rafale-M fighters for the Indian Navy. Dassault declined to comment on whether the deal would create additional offset obligations for the company, but its partner Safran, responsible for the Rafale’s engines and electronics, has confirmed that it will expand its own existing obligations.
Five years after Rheinmetall first agreed to transfer technology to Australia for a Boxer 8x8s armoured fighting vehicle (AFV), Australia is preparing to export over 100 locally-produced versions of the vehicle back to Germany, in an arrangement akin to buyback.
General Electric has confirmed a new partnership with Toshiba to develop offshore wind farms in Japan. The move would support Kishida’s government’s goal to boost the domestic production of wind turbines by 2026, according to a company statement.