Two French aerospace giants aim to expand presence in Vietnam

France’s Aerospace groups Airbus and Safran on Wednesday expressed their wish to expand operations in Vietnam and proposed collaboration initiatives with the Vietnamese Government and businesses.

At a separate meeting with Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh in Paris, Wouter van Wersch, executive vice president international of Airbus, said his firm wishes to continue its cooperation with Vietnam Airlines to modernize its fleet.

He also proposed partnerships in the space technology sector, particularly offering advanced optical satellite solutions to follow up on the success of the VNREDSat-1 satellite project.

The Airbus executive also proposed collaboration in the use of fuel-efficient and environmentally friendly energy sources, and development of artificial intelligence.

Appreciating the successful cooperation between Airbus and Vietnamese partners, especially the VNREDSat-1 satellite project, the Prime Minister suggested that Airbus deepen its engagement with Vietnam’s aviation sector through competitively priced aircraft purchase agreements and timely deliveries.

Chinh also expressed his hope that Airbus would transfer technology, train local human resources, and provide maintenance and warranty services. In the long term, he encouraged collaboration in aircraft component research and manufacturing, as well as space exploration.

Meeting with the Vietnamese cabinet leader, Philippe Bardol, senior vice president for Asia Pacific, International & Public Affairs at Safran, proposed several areas of cooperation, including aviation development, airport infrastructure planning, and other key sectors prioritized by Vietnam.

He said Safran is a French multinational group specializing in defense and aerospace. It designs, develops, and manufactures aircraft engines, helicopter engines, spacecraft propulsion systems, and a wide range of military and aerospace equipment.

As of 2024, the company had employed 100,000 people worldwide and posted revenues of €27.3 billion ($31.43 billion), securing a leading global position in its key markets.

In Vietnam, Safran began operations in 1994 and officially opened a representative office three years later, establishing partnerships with numerous local companies.

In the aviation sector, it supplies engines and equipment to Vietnamese private airlines Vietjet, Vietravel, and Bamboo Airways, and it has taken part in national flag carrier Vietnam Airlines’s 50-aircraft purchase project.

The group signed an $8 billion contract with Vietjet for the sale and maintenance of CFM engines for 200 Boeing 737 MAX aircraft on the occasion of the visit to France by Party General Secretary and State President To Lam in October 2024.

Recognizing Safran’s effective business cooperation in Vietnam, the Vietnamese PM encouraged the group to support the development of the country’s aviation and aerospace industries in the coming years.

He recommended that Safran engage with the Ministry of Science and Technology and other agencies and partners to materialize cooperative activities and explore the implementation of future projects.

At the Vietnam-France Business Forum held the same day, PM Chinh witnessed the signing of an MoU between Vietnam Airlines and Safran Electronics & Defense for leasing flight data analysis systems from 2026 to 2030.

Another MoU was signed between Vietnam’s tech giant FPT Corporation and Airbus regarding cooperation in digital transformation.