As a leader in the aerospace industry, Safran is committed to the aviation sector’s ambition to transition to net zero CO₂ emissions by 2050. Safran has had a presence in the UAE for over 30 years where its operations span maintenance, safety systems and propulsion. We sat down with Mehdi Bouchenak, CEO of Safran Emarat Ltd, to better understand exactly how the company is pushing to make greener aviation a reality of today, and how collaboration in the UAE is shaping the future of sustainable flight.

Q: Safran has a long-standing relationship with the UAE. How would you describe the Group’s footprint here today?

Safran’s story in the UAE started over 30 years ago with our first office in Abu Dhabi — supporting the Air Force with maintenance of the M53 engines fitted on the Mirage 2000. But what most people don’t know is that our story in the UAE goes back even further — almost coinciding with the UAE’s constitution in the early 1970s — with the country’s very first fighter jet, the Mirage 5, powered by Snecma’s ATAR engine. For over five decades, Safran has stood alongside the UAE in building its aerospace and defense capabilities. Today, we are proud to count more than 220 employees over 5 sites in the country, making the UAE our largest footprint in the Middle East. 

Q: The Dubai Airshow’s sustainability panel looks to focus on “real impact with minimal disruption.” What does that mean for Safran?

It means advancing toward decarbonized aviation without disrupting the existing ecosystem. At Safran, we are improving conventional engine technologies by reducing fuel consumption and ensuring high compatibility with Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF). Our LEAP engine, which powers the Airbus A320neo, the Boeing 737 MAX families and the COMAC C919, already delivers up to 15% lower fuel burn compared to the previous generation, proving its efficiency and reliability in demanding conditions like those in the Gulf. LEAP engines are compatible with currently approved drop-in blends of 50% SAF and have even flown multiple demonstration flights with 100% SAF, including several Airbus A321neo flights and the Boeing ecoDemonstrator in which both engines operated on 100% SAF.

The next step is already underway. Together with GE Aerospace, we are developing the next generation of engines to be delivered to aircraft manufacturers by the mid-2030s, aiming for up to 20% lower fuel consumption. This is the goal of the RISE Program (Revolutionary Innovation for Sustainable Engines), launched in June 2021. The program targets a 20% reduction in CO₂ emissions with conventional jet fuel, while being designed to be 100% compatible with SAF. These improvements are made possible through a new “open fan” architecture - where the fan is no longer enclosed in a nacelle - and through advanced technologies such as additive manufacturing, and composite materials that allow lighter and more efficient components.

This transition isn’t only about new machinery, it’s part of the broader industry roadmap toward net-zero emissions by 2050, where technology is just one of the key pillars. It’s also about building the infrastructure and ecosystem that will make low-carbon flight possible at scale

Q: What role does the UAE play in Safran’s sustainability journey?

The UAE plays a central role in how we approach sustainability. It’s an environment where innovation happens fast and ideas quickly turn into action. That pace perfectly matches Safran’s focus, especially as the aviation sector as a whole shares the ambition to achieve net-zero emissions from civil aviation by 2050 - a goal Safran is fully committed to.

Safran has been part of the UAE’s sustainability journey from the very beginning. Together with local partners, we were among the early pioneers in the national  biofuel committee and initiatives dedicated to advancing SAF. A key example is our participation as a founding member in the Sustainable Bioenergy Research Consortium (SBRC), which focused on developing aviation biofuels from sustainable sources such as saltwater plants and other renewable feedstocks. This collaboration, supported by the UAE’s National Policy on Biofuels, aimed at accelerating SAF production, shape supportive policies, and help the aviation industry move closer to its collective net-zero target.

Q: How is Safran reducing its own environmental footprint?

Safran’s advancements towards net-zero aviation are part of a broader approach which also includes our operations, in our facilities and across our entire value chain. We have a clear target of a 50.4% reduction in CO₂ emissions from our operations by 2030 vs 2018. And we’re engaging our suppliers in a pathway to reduce their emissions in line with the Paris Agreement.

We’re also directing the vast majority of our innovation toward sustainability: 75% of our R&T spending is dedicated to improving the environmental performance of our products. These goals guide every part of the Group, including our activities here in the UAE.

Q5: Looking ahead, what’s your vision for Safran in the region?

Our vision is to be a long-term partner in the Middle East’s journey toward sustainable, connected, and resilient aviation. We want to keep expanding our maintenance and repair footprint, invest in local talent, and strengthen our collaboration with regional partners. We are proud to be part of an ecosystem that sees sustainability not as a challenge but as an opportunity. For us, it is about growing together and shaping the future of aviation in a way that benefits everyone.