Vinod Mathews,
Founder and CEO,
Safran Data Systems India
(formerly Captronic Systems)
Since its inception, Safran Electronics and Defence has been at the forefront of designing high-tech solutions for the aerospace, defence, and space industries. The company and its affiliates are actively supporting India’s vision of becoming a self-reliant aerospace and defence powerhouse through their commitment to the Make in India and Atmanirbhar Bharat initiatives. “Safran Data Systems is 100% committed to being a premier technology partner in advancing India’s civil and military aerospace sectors to new heights. We’ve established strong collaborations with DRDO, HAL, L&T, and other key industry players to share our cutting-edge technology and foster joint innovation,” said Vinod Mathews, founder and CEO of Safran Data Systems India (formerly Captronic Systems). In an interview with Aeromag, he discusses the company’s evolution, recent operations, partnerships in India, collaborations in the Indian space sector, and future plans.
Safran Electronics & Defence has built a credible reputation over these decades. What are the highlights of the company’s successful journey? Where does Safran stand in the global space arena?
Safran Electronics & Defence has definitely solidified its position as a major player in the global aerospace and defence sector, with a particularly stellar track record in the space domain with its companies Safran Data Systems and Safran REOSC. The company’s decades-long commitment to space exploration and innovation is evident in its pivotal role in powering different space missions globally.
A cornerstone of Safran’s space legacy is its substantial contribution to launch vehicle engines, laying the foundation for the company’s enduring presence in the sector. More recently, Safran Data Systems and Safran REOSC have been indispensable partners to the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO), providing critical equipment for a wide range of prestigious missions.
Through close collaboration with ISRO’s constituent organizations (VSSC, SAC, URSC, ISTRAC, MCF, NRSC), Safran has been integral to the success of India’s launch vehicles, communication and Earth observation satellites, the IRNSS (GNSS) program, and various pioneering scientific endeavors. This deep-rooted partnership highlights Safran’s commitment to supporting India’s ambitious space program and global aspirations.
How do you look at India as a reliable partner and a vibrant market for your products?
India is a fast-growing economy and has a burgeoning market for aviation, defence, and space.
These are some really exciting times for India. With new programs such as INSPACE and NSIL, the sector of New Space is booming, with a lot of new start-ups for Launch Vehicle (Skyroot, Agnikul) and Satellites (Pixxel, Dhruva, SatSure, GalaxEye,) as well as other major companies getting more involved in space (L&T, HAL, AZISTA, AVANTEL). Safran Electronics & Defence has already undertaken initiatives to contribute and is working in this new ecosystem by being a leading space equipment supplier.
Safran Electronic & Defence’s solutions support the AeroDefence sector too. The company contributes to India’s growth through its provision of critical navigation and flight control equipment to industry leaders like HAL. The company is committed to the high performance of the systems provided to the defence sector, including, but not limited to, the Mirage 2000-5 and Rafale.
Safran Data Systems India is also supporting the Indigenous development of the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA), the Indian Multi-Role Helicopter (IMRH), and the ambitious Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) programs with simulation and automated test equipment.
The space sector in India has been seeing diverse growth over the last decades. How does Safran contribute to this growth?
India’s space exploration journey has reached new heights in recent years, with significant achievements in 2023 paving the way for even more ambitious plans for the decade.
India celebrated the successful launch of Chandrayaan-3, the third mission in its lunar exploration program, on July 14, 2023, and Safran Data Systems played a central role through the telemetry and telecommand units and the ground checkout equipment used for testing and validating the performance of the launch vehicle, satellite, and rover.
Safran’s future-forward highly reliable equipment are integral to the success of numerous ISRO-designed and manufactured launch vehicles, satellites, and deep space probes. Many of these missions are ongoing, demonstrating the exceptional performance and durability of Safran Electronic & Defence’s technology.
Safran Data Systems India Pvt Ltd (Formerly Captronic Systems) is a reliable provider of Automated Test Equipment and Services for Aero-Defence and Space customers in India. Could you talk more about the company’s operations?
Safran Data Systems India Pvt. Ltd. was originally established in 1999 and is a veteran in its own right. Over the past 25 years, it has built a strong reputation not only within the AeroDefence and Space sectors but also in the automotive and industrial segments.
The company has very strong know-how in the key domains, which are essential for designing simulation and automated test equipment for those fields of applications:
Mechanics, Radio-Frequency, Software Defined Radio, and Digital Signal Processing. As Time-to-Market, scalability, and long-term availability are key for the success of the customers, all our solutions are based on COTS allowing easy upgrades, customization, and technology insertion through the life of the Program.
Thanks to this approach, we can deliver equipment to customers as per their project timelines and be able to maintain it for more than 15 years. This becomes one of our key Unique Selling Propositions.
Also, Safran Data Systems India developed their own products and are able to promote them through the worldwide network of the parent company.
Thus, the avenues have expanded multiplefold for the company. Thus, the company enables and supports the vision of “Make in India, Sell Global.”.
How does Safran Electronics & Defence and its companies support the Make in India and Atmanirbhar Bharat initiatives of India to attain self-reliance in space and defence sectors?
Safran Electronics & Defence and its companies are actively contributing to India’s vision of becoming a self-reliant aerospace and defence powerhouse through their steadfast commitment to the Make in India and Atmanirbhar Bharat initiatives. With a portfolio of ongoing projects supporting ISRO, DRDO, and the Indian Armed Forces, Safran Data Systems and Safran REOSC are already making significant strides in this direction to support India. Leveraging its robust network of design centers, a skilled subcontractor base, and extensive production and integration expertise, Safran Data Systems and Safran REOSC are well-positioned to empower India’s aerospace and defence ecosystem.
The company’s strong capabilities in integration and testing, as demonstrated by Safran Data Systems India, further solidify its role as a strategic partner. Safran Data Systems India has already initiated two projects under Make in India for the TT&C Baseband Modems unit for Space applications and Airborne Mission Recorders for fighter aircrafts, with many more to follow in the coming years.
To foster deeper collaboration and enhance local content, Safran Electronics & defence seeks long-term partnerships across various sectors. By working closely with Indian industry, the company aims to accelerate technology transfer, create high-skilled jobs, and contribute to the development of a robust domestic supply chain.
Safran Electronics & Defence and its companies have undertaken to act as a first-class technology partner in the development of the Indian civil and military aerospace industry. Could you elaborate?
Safran Data Systems is 100% committed to being a premier technology partner in advancing India’s civil and military aerospace sectors to new heights. We’ve established strong collaborations with DRDO, HAL, L&T, and other key industry players to share our cutting-edge technology and foster joint innovation. By actively engaging with India’s rigorous research ecosystem, we’ve not only met specific project requirements but also developed groundbreaking solutions that enhance our global competitiveness. This collaborative approach has yielded tangible results, with several India-developed products and technologies gaining international recognition. India and Safran Electronics & Defence’s partnership is a testament to the mutual benefits of technology transfer and co-development. We are confident that our combined strengths will drive the growth of India’s aerospace industry while solidifying Safran’s position as a global aerospace leader.
Safran Data Systems is a long-standing partner of the Indian Space Research Organisation. What are the latest products and services offered by Safran in the Indian space sector?
From the atomic clocks, which are key for the accuracy of the positioning offered by IRNSS/NavIC, through the Telemetry Telecommand & Control modems managing the connection between the satellite and the control center, high-speed modems collecting the data coming from the satellite’s payload, mirrors for astronomy or for satellite payloads, long-life Hall-Effect thrusters for satellite maneuvers, inertial measurement units for accurate positioning, up to providing Electrical Ground Support Equipment (EGSE) or Automated Test & Simulation solutions to make sure the performance of launch vehicles and satellites is validated thoroughly before the actual mission. Beyond spacecraft components, Safran Data Systems supports ground-based infrastructure with high-performance antennas for tracking launch vehicles and collecting telemetry data.
Furthermore, our accurate satellite ephemeris plays a vital role in enhancing space situational awareness, safeguarding valuable space assets from potential collisions.
Safran Electronics & Defence has been a steadfast collaborator with ISRO for many years, contributing significantly to India’s ambitious space programs, India’s Human Space Program “Gaganyaan” being one of them. Our partnership has been instrumental in delivering critical technologies that power India’s exploration of the cosmos.
Safran Electronics & Defence’s commitment to research and development, coupled with our deep understanding of India’s space objectives, positions us as a strategic partner in shaping the future of India’s space exploration.
What are the immediate goals ahead for Safran Electronics & Defence in India? What are the expansion plans?
Safran Electronics & Defence and its companies are fully committed to the Government of India’s vision of a self-reliant India, as embodied by the Make in India and Atmanirbhar Bharat initiatives. We aim to contribute to India’s emergence as a global manufacturing and technology hub.
To foster innovation and technological advancement, Safran Data Systems and Safran REOSC are actively collaborating with Indian research organizations, particularly in the defence and space sectors. We are also engaging with a growing number of Indian startups to tap into the nation’s entrepreneurial spirit and develop highly advanced solutions.
We are also looking forward to work with some dedicated Indian Institutes of Technologies to further accelerate our research and future initiatives. By combining our expertise with India’s academic prowess, we can drive innovation and create a sustainable impact. Safran Electronics & Defence is also dedicated to fulfilling its Corporate Social Responsibilities and contributing positively to Indian society.
