1980: CFM56 selected to reengine the USAF’s KC135-R tankers, and the French air force’s C135-FR tankers (January).

1980: start of demonstration program for a new-generation fighter engine, the Snecma M88.

1982: the CFM56-2 enters service on a Delta DC-8 (April 24).

1982: first flight of the Alpha Jet, powered by twin Larzac 04C-20 engines (December).

1983: first flight tests of the CFM56-3 (February).

1984: Snecma takes control of SEP (June).

1984: first launch of an Ariane 3 (August).

1985: testing starts on first FADEC, developed jointly by General Electric and Elecma, Snecma’s electronics division (November).

1985: delivery of the 1,000th CFM56 (November).

1987: Dassault Aviation, Snecma and Thomson-CSF (now Thales) create the Rafale consortium.

1987: delivery of the 2,000th CFM56 (August).

1987: Labinal and Turbomeca link up through a cross-shareholding agreement.

1988: first launch of Ariane 4 (June 15).

1989: Snecma takes control of Belgian company FN Moteurs (now Techspace Aero) (December).