Safran/Snecma M88: Eibar-made investment castings in cutting-edge technology for the future of European Defense

• July 8, 2025

When France decided to design and build its own fourth-generation fighter aircraft, the Dassault Rafale, it understood that an aerodynamically advanced fuselage or state-of-the-art avionics wouldn’t be enough. The heart of the aircraft had to rise to the challenge. That heart would be the M88 engine, developed by the French company Snecma (now part of the SAFRAN group), a project that not only marked a technological milestone in the 1980s but has also evolved into a key component of modern military aviation—an engine in which a part of Eibar Precision Casting’s work proudly beats as well.

Let’s review the history, technology, and evolution of the M88 engine, highlighting its achievements in the context of the era in which it was conceived and how it remains as relevant as ever 35 years after its first flight.

A demanding context: Military Aviation in the 1980s

In the 1980s, the main fighter jets were the F-15 Eagle, the F-16 Fighting Falcon, the MiG-29, and the Su-27. All of them featured powerful engines, but the focus was mainly on raw thrust. Efficiency, maintenance, and adaptability were secondary considerations. France, meanwhile, operated the Mirage 2000, powered by the Snecma M53 engine—a respectable powerplant, but clearly optimized for a previous era.

in response to this situation, France’s vision was ambitious: to build an engine that would not only match the performance of its rivals but introduce new capabilities. The M88 was not just to be powerful—it had to be smart, modular, efficient, and easy to maintain, while capable of operating across multiple mission configurations. It was, in essence, a silent revolution.

Birth of the M88: A Commitment to Strategic Autonomy

Development of the M88 officially began in 1986. Snecma started with a blank sheet. The goal wasn’t to improve the M53, but to create an entirely new engine optimized for the new multirole Rafale fighter, which was also in its early stages of development.

France was betting on technological independence: not relying on foreign engines like General Electric’s F404 or the British RB199 meant the Rafale could be exported freely and the engine’s entire logistical and upgrade chain could remain under French control.

From the beginning, the M88 was conceived with several core priorities:

• Adequate thrust for a medium-weight fighter (around 75 kN with afterburner)
• Favorable thrust-to-weight ratio with a compact design
• Low specific fuel consumption, especially in cruise mode
• Sustained supersonic capability without afterburner (supercruise)
• Modular design to ease maintenance and reduce operating costs
• Reduced radar and infrared signatures to improve survivability

Taken together, these factors positioned the M88 as a next-generation powerplant.

Photo : Matthieu Sontag, Licence CC-BY-SA.

Snecma M88: A new approach to Jet Engine Technology

The M88 is a low-bypass turbofan engine (bypass ratio ~0.3). Its architecture is axial, featuring low- and high-pressure compressors, an annular combustion chamber, a single-casing high-pressure turbine, and a low-pressure turbine—all housed in a compact and efficient structure.

Some of its standout features when launched:

• Advanced materials: High-temperature-resistant alloys and thermal coating technologies allowed for operation at higher temperatures without compromising durability.
• FADEC (Full Authority Digital Engine Control): The M88 was one of the first European engines to feature a fully digital control system from the beginning. This not only optimized real-time engine performance but greatly simplified diagnostics and reduced human error.
• Modular design: The engine can be disassembled into 21 independent modules, allowing components to be replaced without sending the entire engine for overhaul—a significant innovation compared to engines like the Soviet AL-31 or even the American F110.
• Thermal and signature management: Gas flow design and integration with the Rafale’s airframe result in low infrared emissions, a key feature in modern combat scenarios.

Real-World performance: How does It compare?

Although the M88 is not the most powerful engine in absolute terms, its combination of efficiency, digital technology, and compact design made it highly competitive among its contemporaries.

Engine	Max Thrust (with afterburner)	Thrust-to-Weight Ratio	FADEC	Modularity	Supercruise
Snecma M88-2	75 kN	~7.5:1	Yes	High	Yes
GE F404-GE-402	79 kN	~7.8:1	Partial	Medium	No
Klimov RD-33	81.4 kN	~7.4:1	No	Low	No
Eurojet EJ200	90 kN	~9:1	Yes	High	Yes

The outstanding EJ200 (engine of the Eurofighter Typhoon, in which ITP Aero participates—we are also opening new collaboration opportunities with them) exceeds the M88 in thrust, but the M88 stands out for its lighter weight and high adaptability. Moreover, it has demonstrated exceptional reliability, even in maritime conditions (the Rafale M operates from CATOBAR – equipped aircraft carriers, which places high demands on the engine).

Built to Gain Tactical Advantage

The M88 offers several operational advantages that have been key to the Rafale’s success:

• True and sustained supercruise: While not at the level of the American F-22 Raptor (designed for air superiority and far more costly), the Rafale can maintain supersonic flight without constant afterburner use, improving operational efficiency and reducing thermal signature.
• High operational availability: Thanks to its modular design, the engine can be serviced at air bases with limited resources.
• Low cruise fuel consumption: Ideal for long-range missions or extended patrols.
• Proven reliability: M88 engines have logged over 1 million flight hours with an extremely low failure rate.

Comparison with Modern Technologies

Today, the M88 may seem less powerful than engines like the F119 (F-22) or F135 (F-35), but its real value lies in versatility, low maintenance, reliability, and efficiency.

Compared to the F135 (over 190 kN of thrust), the M88 might appear modest, but the F135 is designed for a different aircraft concept (stealth-first, not maneuverability). The M88, by contrast, is balanced between power, agility, and operating cost—an approach that has helped make the Rafale one of the most exported fighters in the world over the last decade.

Its modular foundation also makes the M88 easier to scale, adapt, and evolve than more complex engines.

M88 Evolution: Adapting to a changing World

Since its introduction, the M88 has undergone various versions and proposed upgrades:

M88-1

A four-year concept validation program that preceded the M88-2.

M88-2

The current standard version, delivering up to 75 kN with afterburner. Features FADEC, modular components, and is optimized for multiple mission profiles.

M88 T-REX

A version aimed at increasing thrust by 20% (up to 88–90 kN) for the future Rafale 5 variant or next-generation fighters.

SCAF/FCAS engine

The M88 has also served as a technological testbed for the engine of the SCAF (Future Combat Air System), the Franco-German-Spanish program to develop a sixth-generation fighter.

SAFRAN and MTU Aero Engines are collaborating on evolving the M88 into a next-gen engine with vector thrust, adaptive cycle capability, extreme thermal signature reduction, and readiness for highly digitalized environments.

A technological gem still beating… with a bit of Eibar soul

The Snecma/SAFRAN M88 was not designed to be the most powerful or extreme-performance engine. It was designed to address the operational challenges of its contemporaries by being efficient, autonomous, advanced, and reliable. In this regard, it is a machine that exceeds expectations.

Thanks to its intelligent architecture, FADEC system, modularity, and continuous evolution, the M88 has proven to be more than just a propulsion unit—it’s a symbol of SAFRAN’s industrial capability and of its close European partners, including us at EIPC, who are proud to manufacture specific components that contribute to this successful turbofan’s performance.

Today, as the world prepares for sixth-generation aircraft and fully digital combat environments, the M88 still has a voice: it remains a key piece in the Rafale’s success as an integrated defense platform and a solid technological foundation for future generations of European engines.