That's the opinion of Snecma Group chairman and CEO Jean-Paul Bechat,
who considers the practice inefficient and wasteful.
"We must stop it, even-or especially-in space programs,"
he told Show News.
Bechat says such multinational programs as the TP400 turboprop for
the A400M European transport can be just as cost effective as single-company
ventures-and, indeed, that this one will be.
"We have made an offer to Airbus military for a common European
engine program that is competitive with the competition in its early
stages," he says. "Airbus already knows the commercial
costs from that early stage, when there were three bidders (Pratt
& Whitney, Rolls-Royce and multinational team of Snecma, MTU
and FiatAvio).
"Airbus has attained its cost target," Bechat says.
The TP400, he adds, will be designed to cost with modules assigned
to companies on the basis of their expertise.
"We have very good examples of how partnerships can provide
a good, successful product," he says. Snecma owns 50% of CFM
International, which makes the world's best-selling CFM56; and Rolls-Royce
and MTU already collaborate commercially on the V2500 turbofan.
In contrast, these consortia are very expensive if structured with
percentages determined by market share. "In those cases companies
see money available and the chance to develop technology. Very often
each partner chooses the module or subassembly he has never done
before in order to make his technical progress.
"But the TP400 is not structured like that," Bechat says.
"From the beginning the assumptions will be made that this
is a commercial program, using existing technologies, and will be
shared according to the technical knowledge of the partners. Those
assumptions are very clear, and I am very optimistic."
The three-shaft TP400 will be most powerful turboprop engine ever
built in the West. Participating companies are Snecma, Rolls-Royce,
MTU, FiatAvio, ITP of Spain (in which Rolls-Royce holds a 46.8%
share), and Techspace Aero of Belgium (of which Snecma owns 51%).
Bechat says he's always been an advocate of having just one engine
for the A400M. "This is a good solution for a common European
program," he says.
By John Morris
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