Safran has received a contract to extend in-service engine support for the US Coast Guard’s MH-65 Dolphin helicopters.
The agreement renews the coverage of existing maintenance, repair, and overhaul tasks for the MH-65 fleet.
The work will be conducted over five years and encompass over 240 Arriel 2C2-CGs installed in each twin-engine helicopter.
Safran will operate under a support-by-the-hour framework at its facility in Grand Prairie, Texas.
“Our Safran teams are very proud that the US Coast Guard continues to place its trust in our service offering,” Safran Helicopter Engines CEO Cédric Goubet said.
“MH-65 helicopters are used daily for protection and rescue at sea, and it is essential that we can guarantee the best service rate for their Arriel engines.”
The Arriel Engine
The US selected the Arriel turbofan solution as the powerplant of the coast guard’s MH-65 aircraft in 2003.
Since its employment, the engine has been used for numerous short-range recovery missions and has accumulated over 1.7 million flight hours under the agency, Safran wrote.
The Arriel generates 853 horsepower for a maximum speed of 180 knots (210 miles/330 kilometers per hour), a range of 335 nautical miles (409 miles/658 kilometers), and an altitude of up to 17,999 feet (5,486 meters).
Latest Engine Support Contracts
Safran signed a similar contract earlier in April to extend support for the UK Royal Navy’s Merlin helicopter engines.
In March, the company received a contract to deliver repairs, overhauls, and spares for Qatar’s Rafale fighter jet engines.
In 2022, Safran and aerospace industry partner Airbus renewed a contract to provide support for the engines powering the US Army’s UH-72 Lakota rotorcrafts.