Air France Industries KLM Engineering & Maintenance's (AFI KLM E&M) and Rolls-Royce today announces the first Trent XWB-84 engine scheduled for Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) centre, at Charles De Gaulle Airport, Paris, France, has been inducted.

This establishes capability to exclusively support the Air France fleet and in turn will provide Rolls-Royce additional capacity to support customers around the globe. The facility complements Rolls-Royce's current MRO footprint and addresses growing long-term demand for new civil large engines.

The announcement follows an agreement, made at Paris Airshow 2023, for the maintenance and repair of Trent XWB engines powering Airbus A350, building on an initial agreement signed between the two groups in 2014, as part of Air France-KLM Group's acquisition of the aircraft type.

Paul Keenan, Director - Commercial Aviation Aftermarket Operations, Rolls-Royce, said: "We're investing in a resilient future and plan to significantly increase our global MRO capacity and capability by 2030. Today marks an important milestone on that journey as we see the first Trent XWB-84 inducting for MRO at AFI KLM E&M. AFI KLM E&M has a long heritage of MRO experience that will enhance overhaul and repair capabilities for the Trent XWB-84 engine – we are delighted to have them part of our global network. This will allow for additional capacity in the entire Rolls-Royce network and is further proof of our commitment to deliver both excellent products and services to our global customer base."

Anne Brachet, Executive Vice President, Air France – KLM Engineering & Maintenance, said: "The induction of the first Trent XWB-84 engine into our Paris facility marks a major milestone in our partnership with Rolls-Royce and in the continued evolution of our MRO capabilities. This new chapter enables us to provide dedicated support for Air France's A350 fleet while also contributing to the global Trent XWB aftermarket network. It reflects our commitment to combining technical excellence and innovation to meet the evolving needs of next-generation aircraft and engines."

Sarah Jones MP, Minister of State for Industry, said:"This is great news for Rolls-Royce and Air France and a testament to our strong business and trade relationship with France, following the deal we secured with the EU just last month.This milestone paves the way for greater growth under the TotalCare engine contract which will boost jobs and innovation in the UK, and our modern Industrial Strategy will back this growth further by giving businesses the confidence to invest in UK aerospace."

Dame Menna Rawlings DCMG CVO, His Majesty's Ambassador to France said: "Today's announcement from Rolls-Royce and Air France-KLM cements the close relationship between these two companies. International partnerships play a critical role in driving growth and connecting communities. This announcement will ensure that Rolls-Royce continues to be an engine for growth both in the UK and abroad."

Both Air France and KLM have ordered the Trent XWB powered Airbus A350. As part of the deals, the health and maintenance of the engines will be covered by Rolls-Royce's comprehensive TotalCare service. Earlier this year Air France celebrated one million engine flying hours on the Trent XWB-84. The Trent XWB-84 is the best widebody engine in the world. It's designed, engineered, and optimised specifically for the Airbus A350 - delivering the lowest fuel consumption of any widebody engine and chosen by the world's most profitable airlines. The best gets even better with the introduction of the Trent XWB-84 EP offering a 1% fuel burn saving, worth $5m a year for the average fleet.