SEMMB (Société d'Exploitation des Matériels Martin Baker), a 50/50 joint company of Safran (France) and Martin-Baker Aircraft (UK), has produced its 250th MKF16F ejection seat for the Rafale multirole fighter.
With about 50 employees, SEMMB designs, develops, produces and supports ejection seats for all French-designed combat aircraft, deployed by over 30 air forces worldwide.
SEMMB ejection seats have saved the lives of 698 pilots since production started in 1961. A total of 5,700 seats have been produced to date, including 250 for the Rafale, 1,470 for the Mirage 2000, 47 for the Super Etendard and 220 for the Alpha Jet military trainer.
SEMMB now delivers about 20 seats per year, or an average of over 1.5 per month. Because of recent Rafale export contracts, already signed or being finalized, the production rate could rise to four seats/month starting in 2017.
SEMMB also services 100 to 130 ejection seats a year. Seats are refurbished every two years after entering service, then undergo a general overhaul every six years.
The Rafale is a twin-jet fighter aircraft able to operate from both an aircraft carrier and a shore base. The fully versatile Rafale is able to carry out all combat aviation missions: air defense, interception, ground support, in-depth strikes, reconnaissance, anti-ship strikes and nuclear deterrence. The Rafale entered service with the French Navy in 2004 and with the French Air Force in 2006. The Egyptian Air Force received its first aircraft in 2015. The Rafale has proven its worth in combat in Afghanistan, Libya, Mali, Iraq and Syria. On 30 June 2015, 138 Rafale aircraft had been delivered.
