Along with the development of the Atar engine family, Snecma was diversifying its production, and playing a key role in the multinational programs that were increasingly seen in the rapidly growing civil aviation market. The first major cross-border project was a daunting technological challenge: a supersonic civilian transport. The second would give rise to an unrivaled commercial success, the CFM56 turbofan, the best selling commercial aircraft engine. The third would lead to the European launch vehicle, Ariane.

The new military developments

In 1960, the Super-Mystère B2 spearheaded the French air force fleet. It was powered by a French-built engine, the Atar 101G. Snecma continued to design more powerful versions of this engine, from the Atar 9B on the Mirage IIIC (1957) to the 9K50 powering the Mirage F1 (1970). A dozen intensive years of development led to a new generation of engines that would make its mark on military aviation for more than 30 years. Today, a number of Atar-powered Mirage fighters are still in service worldwide, as they continue to make history.

In 1965, Snecma teamed up with fellow French engine-maker Turbomeca to develop the M49, a jet engine originally designed for the emerging business aircraft market. Renamed the Larzac, it proved to be simple, robust and inexpensive. The Larzac made its first ground test in 1969, developing over a ton of thrust. Incorporating continuous improvements, the Larzac entered production in 1977 as powerplant for the Alpha Jet training and light combat aircraft.

Snecma continued to develop other combat aircraft powerplants on its own. The M53, which logged its first ground test on February 26, 1970, was first intended for the Mirage G8, a variable geometry combat aircraft prototype. It would subsequently power the entire Mirage 2000 family.

Concorde, the supersonic challenge

In the early sixties, the Caravelle was the only French commercial jetliner. Supersonic flight was reserved for military planes. But European partners saw an opportunity for a commercial supersonic transport in the strong development of civil air transport: Concorde was launched.

In 1961 Snecma and Bristol Siddeley (later taken over by Rolls-Royce) signed an agreement for the joint development of the Olympus 593, the 38,000-lb-thrust engine that would power the Concorde. Snecma was charged with the design and production of the entire exhaust system, including nozzles, reheat (afterburners) and thrust reverser. The four-engine Concorde made its first flight on March 2, 1969. In October it broke the sound barrier, and hit Mach 2 in November 1970. The Olympus 593 would be the first civil jet engine in the world to operate continuously at speeds exceeding Mach 2. And over 20 years after entry into service, it is still the only one of its kind!

CFM56: unprecedented global success

In 1968, Snecma launched the preliminary design of a commercial jet engine in the 10-ton thrust class, the M56, intended for the Dassault Mercure. The aim was to break into the market dominated by the noisy, fuel-hungry Pratt & Whitney JT3 and JT8D jet engines. Civil aviation was booming, and a new generation of jetliners was in the wings.

In 1970, the United States produced more than three-quarters of the world's commercial jetliners, and their domestic market accounted for half of the world's airliners. To be successful, a new engine had to gain a foothold in America. In September 1971, Snecma and General Electric signed an agreement to jointly produce a commercial jet engine in the 10 ton thrust class. This new engine would be dubbed "CFM56", combining Snecma's M56 prototype with a commercial fan (CF) version of General Electric's F-101 military core engine.

Three years later, Snecma and General Electric created CFM International, an equally-owned joint venture. Together, the two companies would develop the CFM56 engine family, marketed by the joint-venture. The project took form thanks to the tenacity of the two company heads at the time, René Ravaud for Snecma and Gerhard Neumann for General Electric, and despite less than firm support from their respective governments. The first test flight took place on February 16, 1977, with a CFM56-2 fitted on a McDonnell Douglas YC-15.