GE officially announced today the participation of French company Safran ( Snecma and Techspace Aero) in the GE9X engine selected by Boeing as the exclusive powerplant on its new 777X long-range, twin-engine widebody jetliner. Safran will have a total stake in this new engine program of slightly more than 11%.

Snecma will produce the composite fan blades as well as design and produce the turbine rear frame and the forward fan case. Techspace Aero will be in charge of the low pressure compressor global integration and the fan disk manufacturing. With its selection on the GE9X program, Techspace Aero, already the world's leading supplier of low-pressure compressors for single-aisle jets, will also become a leader in the long-range widebody market segment. Starting in 2020, this program will account for about 15% of the company's total production volume.

"Safran and GE are already partners on several very successful engines, including their emblematic joint company CFM International," said Marc Ventre, Safran Deputy Chief Executive Officer, Operations.

The GE9X engine has been already registered more than 600 orders. The GE9X will be the exclusive engine on the upgraded Boeing 777X, offering 10% lower specific fuel consumption than the latest GE90 powering the 777.