Safran and Aero Engine Corporation of China (AECC) have signed a memorandum of agreement to strengthen their industrial cooperation on the WZ16 French-Chinese helicopter engine. This agreement was signed in Beijing by Alexandre Ziegler, Safran senior executive vice president, international and public affairs, and AECC chairman Cao Jianguo, during French president Emmanuel Macron's state visit to China.

The WZ16 is jointly developed and built by Safran Helicopter Engines and AECC. Certification by the Civil Aviation Administration of China was announced on 10 October 2019. The engine is installed in the AVIC AC352 helicopter.

Through this memorandum of agreement, Safran Helicopter Engines and AECC agree to study opportunities for a joint venture in China to support and maintain in-service WZ16 engines, prepare and launch the production ramp-up of the WZ16 to deliver a first order of 120 engines and discuss the opportunity for an additional 100 units, and discuss new applications for the WZ16, including a turboprop variant for fixed-wing aircraft.

Ziegler says: ”The WZ16 partnership between Safran and AECC is already a success as the first jointly-developed aero-engine to be entirely certified by Chinese authorities. This new agreement is an opportunity to enlarge our partnership, especially as we prepare for certification and entry-into-service.”

Also known as the Ardiden 3C, the WZ16 is a new-generation turboshaft in the 1,700-2,000 shp range. The Ardiden 3C was certified by EASA in April 2018. The maiden flight of the AC352 – the Chinese-produced variant of the H175 – took place on December 2016, and certification is planned for 2021.