ILA Berlin, 11 June 2026 – The European Commission has decided to support Safran Helicopter Engines, MTU Aero Engines and Avio Aero in their technological research project known as SHARP (Sovereign High-performance Architecture for Rotorcraft Propulsion). This project, which aims to develop the scalable technological building blocks for a new state-of-art military helicopter engine, will be funded by the European Defence Fund (EDF) with a budget of around €25 million.
SHARP will involve a team of 25 partners from 12 European countries, including SMEs, universities and research institutes. By maturing key technologies, SHARP is paving the way for the ENGHE (European Next Generation Helicopter Engine). This next generation of advanced, cost effective, and sovereign helicopter engines aims to excel in the most demanding operational environments while simplifying maintenance.
The future ENGHE will feature breakthrough technologies that will considerably increase its efficiency while reducing its operating and maintenance costs. It will be particularly well suited to the next generation of military helicopters, which are expected to enter service in 2040, especially the ENGRT (European Next Generation Rotorcraft Technologies) and NGRC (Next Generation Rotorcraft Capability) projects. ENGHE’s exceptional characteristics will provide these future helicopters with enhanced capabilities, such as greater range and payload, higher speed, and increased availability.
Cédric Goubet, Safran Helicopter Engines CEO, said “By supporting SHARP, and more broadly our ENGHE engine project, Europe is showing its willingness to ensure self-reliance in sovereignty and technologies for tomorrow’s military helicopters. We thank the European Union and the EDF initiative, as well as the nations that support our project, for their confidence in our capability and commitment to stronger European defense capabilities.”
Dr. Ottmar Pfänder, Chief Program Officer of MTU Aero Engines, commented: “In light of a continuously aging European fleet of military helicopters the need is obvious: From 2040 onwards, a large proportion of these rotorcraft will have to be replaced. We joined forces across the continent to underline the importance of this technology program. It will further reinforce European sovereignty and strengthen the European supply chain.”
Riccardo Procacci, CEO of Avio Aero, commented: “SHARP marks an important milestone in the journey toward Europe’s next-generation rotorcraft engine and reinforces the value of collaboration in developing sovereign, high-performance propulsion technologies. We are proud to partner with EURA on this initiative, contributing within a fully European framework while leveraging Avio Aero’s well-established expertise and know-how in helicopter propulsion.”
The SHARP project team is expected to be fully set up in the coming months. The project will be coordinated by the EURA (EUropean Military Rotorcraft Engine Alliance) joint venture, a 50/50 partnership between Safran Helicopter Engines and MTU Aero Engines. “We are ready to coordinate this multi-national and truly European team. We are all united by the will and the track record to provide our forces with most-modern technologies – while ensuring European sovereignty,” said Wolfgang Gärtner, CEO of EURA.
In Europe, there are approximately 1,800 transport and 600 combat helicopters with an average age of 20 years. In the 2040s, even rotorcraft that are still in production today will have been in service for over 50 years.
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EURA is a Safran Helicopter Engines and MTU Aero Engines joint venture dedicated to powering the next generation of military helicopters. It was created in July 2024 and is currently chaired by Wolfgang Gärtner (MTU Aero Engines), with Jean-Michel Larricq (Safran Helicopter Engines) as his deputy. Learn more at http://www.eura-engine.eu or follow us on LinkedIn.
Safran is an international high-technology group, operating in the aviation (propulsion, equipment and interiors), defense and space markets. Its core purpose is to contribute to a safer, more sustainable world, where air transport is more environmentally friendly, comfortable and accessible. Safran has a global presence, with more than 110,000 employees and revenue of 31.3 billion euros in 2025, and holds, alone or in partnership, global or regional leadership positions in its core markets. Safran is listed on the Euronext Paris stock exchange and is part of the CAC 40 and Euro Stoxx 50 indices.
Safran Helicopter Engines is the world’s leading manufacturer of helicopter engines, with more than 75,000 produced since being founded. It offers the widest range of helicopter turboshafts in the world and has more than 2,500 customers in 155 countries.
MTU Aero Engines is a globally recognized expert in commercial and military aircraft engines. MTU‘s high-tech expertise ranges from the development and production of high-quality components to the final assembly of complete engines and the maintenance of aircraft engines and stationary gas turbines. In the financial year 2025, the DAX-listed company generated revenues of 8.7 billion euros. MTU technology can be found providing reliable thrust in one in three commercial aircraft worldwide. And every year, MTU maintains around 1,500 engines and industrial gas turbines. At 19 locations on five continents, around 14,000 employees from over 80 nations contribute to safe global mobility. Together with other European engine manufacturers, MTU has also been ensuring and supporting the operational readiness of air forces for decades.
Avio Aero is a GE Aerospace company that designs, manufactures and maintains components and propulsion systems for civil and military aviation. Today, the company provides its customers with innovative technological solutions to quickly respond to the continuous changes required by the market: additive manufacturing, rapid prototyping, as well as technologies dedicated to the production of transmissions, turbines, and combustors. Avio Aero’s head office is in Rivalta di Torino, where its largest production facility is also located. Other important facilities are in Brindisi and Pomigliano d'Arco (Naples), with a total of around 4,900 employees employed in Italy. The company also has a plant and a test center in Poland and a production and testing facility in the Czech Republic, with a total of around 1,100 employees. Through continuous investment in research and development and a consolidated network of relationships with major universities and international research centers, Avio Aero has developed a globally recognized level of technological and manufacturing excellence, as evidenced by the partnerships signed with the world's leading aviation companies.