Safran described the HRG as the most advanced inertial sensor in the world. The company said annual production is expected to increase from 10,000 units today to 30,000 units by 2032.
To support the increase, the Montluçon site will gain an additional 10,500 square metres. This will include 3,000 square metres of new cleanrooms fitted with latest-generation industrial machinery.
The expansion will be carried out in two phases to meet rapidly growing demand. An initial 2,500-square-metre extension is scheduled for 2027, followed by a further 8,000-square-metre extension by 2030.
Safran Electronics & Defense is already the leading industrial employer in the Allier region, with more than 1,640 employees. The company said it will create 500 new jobs by 2030 as part of the growth plan.
The HRG is developed and industrialised entirely in Montluçon. It is at the core of Safran Electronics & Defense’s inertial navigation systems.
The gyroscope was designed from the outset for mass production with an extremely limited number of components. Safran said it is also built for integration into modular architectures.
The HRG is used across a wide range of applications, from cost-effective high-volume systems such as munitions and drones to advanced platforms. These include artillery, armoured vehicles, military aircraft and helicopters, ships, submarines, satellites and space launchers.
Safran said the key advantage of the HRG is its ability to provide absolute and resilient navigation. The system remains operational even in critical GPS-denied environments.
Demand for sovereign technologies, including those used in the Hammer modular air-to-ground weapon, has recently increased at an unprecedented rate, according to Safran. The company said the Montluçon investment is intended to support that growth.
“At Montluçon, we embody a unique level of technological and industrial excellence in the field of high-precision inertial systems,” said Franck Saudo, President of Safran Electronics & Defense. “The HRG, which is at the heart of our Position, Navigation, and Timing (PNT) solutions, has redefined the market through its large-scale, industrially focused design.”
“This investment will enable us to further solidify our unique position in the navigation domain, and to fulfill our primary commitment: delivering on time to the armed forces that protect France, Europe, and their allies,” Saudo said.
