The 2000's

2000 – MTU - a directly managed DaimlerChrysler company

When European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company (EADS) was founded in July 2000, MTU became a directly managed DaimlerChrysler affiliate. The reshuffle brought a comprehensive change in the company's corporate identity, turning MTU München into MTU Aero Engines. Its repair shops were renamed MTU Maintenance, plus the name of the respective location (MTU Maintenance Berlin-Brandenburg, etc.).

That same year, MTU Aero Engine Components were launched.

2000 – Launch of MTU Maintenance Zhuhai

The German engine manufacturer has had presence in China since 2000. By setting up a 50/50 joint venture with China Southern Airlines, China's largest airline, MTU has established a strong foothold in the Asian growth market.

2002 – Cooperation with the Air Force

MTU and the German Armed Forces have been blazing new trails in their cooperation since 2002: To optimize the support of the Eurofighter engine EJ200 they developed the industry-military cooperative model of engine maintenance where the work is performed at a single site: MTU's Munich facility. This saves cost, time and resources and helps the GAF maintain its engine know-how. The model was later expanded to include the RB199, J79, RR250-C20 and MTR390 engines.

2002 – Entry into a commercial core engine

Pratt & Whitney's PW6000 is provided with a high-pressure compressor made by MTU Aero Engines. This marks the first time MTU has responsibility for a commercial core engine component. With additional engineering and production stakes in the high-pressure compressor, MTU holds an 18 percent workshare as a risk-and-revenue sharing partner in the program.

2003 – Major partner in the TP400-D6

As the main German partner in the TP400-D6, the exclusive powerplant for the Airbus A400M military transport, MTU Aero Engines provides high-tech hardware: it is responsible for the entire intermediate-pressure spool and in partnership with France's Snecma, also contributes the engine control unit. Production testing and delivery is performed exclusively by MTU's Ludwigsfelde location, which has the sole pan-European assembly line for the powerplant.

MTU, Snecma Rolls-Royce are the major partners in the TP400-D6 engine consortium Europrop International (EPI), with each of the companies holding 28 percent. The fourth partner is Spain's ITP, which has a program share of 16 percent.

2003 – Subsidiary renamed MTU Aena

That same year, MTU pools its activities on the U.S. market and merges MTU Aero Engine Design and MTU Aero Engine Components, which now come under the umbrella of MTU Aero Engines North America (MTU AENA).

2004 – KKR acquires MTU Aero Engines

January 1, 2004: MTU Aero Engines now is a subsidiary of Kohlberg Kravis Roberts (KKR), after DaimlerChrysler sold it the company lock, stock and barrel. KKR, a U.S. private-equity investor, has agreed to keep MTU's strategic alignment and operational business intact, including the company's close partnership with Pratt & Whitney and the involvement of Germany's leading engine manufacturer in current and emerging commercial and military programs.

2005 – IPO of MTU Aero Engines Holding AG

June 6: The stock of MTU Aero Engines Holding AG is traded on the stock market for the first time, the emission price being 21€. The stock is more than seven times over-subscribed. The greenshoe option has been fully exercised by June 10. On September 19, 2005 the stock is included in the mid-cap MDAX index.

2006 – Partner in GE's F414 engine

Under a new risk-and-revenue sharing agreement, MTU acquires a 2.5-percent workshare in General Electric's F414 fighter aircraft engine, contributing the high-pressure compressor spool and the shrouds for the high-pressure and low-pressure turbines. The move marks the company's foray into the U.S. military market. The F414 powers the U.S. Navy's twin-jet F/A-18 Super Hornet fighter aircraft.

2007 – Launch of MTU Aero Engines Polska

The youngest scion in MTU's group pf companies is MTU Aero Engines Polska. The company is being set up on a seven hectare plot in Poland's "Aviation Valley". The new foreign affiliate developsand manufactures low-pressure turbine airfoils, assembles LPT modules, and repairs engine parts using high-tech machinery and MTU's innovative repair processes for which the company is renowned worldwide.

2007 – Claire I – The geared turbofan

To make tomorrow's engines quieter and to reduce their fuel consumption and pollutant emissions MTU in partnership with Bahaus Luftfahrt jointly developed the Clean Air Engine (Claire) technology program. It aims to lower CO² emissions by as much as 30 percent by 2035. Claire bases on the geared turbofan engine concept which features a gearbox between the low-pressure turbine and the fan. The geared turbofan engine is built jointly Pratt & Whitney and MTU.

2008 – MTU takes stakes in the GEnx and the GE38 engines

MTU Aero Engine takes on an 18-percent share in the GE38 helicopter engine. This is the first time that the company acts as a development participant in a U.S. military engine program. MTU is responsible mainly for the GE38's power turbine module; GE38 models will be used to power the emerging European Heavy Transport Helicopter (HTH).

MTU also takes 6.6 percent role in General Electric's GEnx engine, manufacturing the turbine center frame, for which it also assumes development responsibility. The engine powers the Boeing 787 Dreamliner and the Boeing 747-8 long-haul airliner and 747-8 freighter version.

2009 – MTU Aero Engines takes stake in MEPC

MTU takes a stake in Saudi Arabia-based Middle East Propulsion Company (MEPC), thus establishing a presence also in the Middle East. MEPC is a joint venture of United Technologies Corporation, the parent company of Pratt & Whitney (P&W), Saudi Arabian Airlines and Shomoukh Al Hemman for Communication and Information and specializes in the maintenance of aircraft engines. Its major customer is the Royal Saudi Air Force (RSAF), which has its Pratt & Whitney F100 engines maintained by MEPC. The company plans to expand its maintenance portfolio to include the Tornado's RB199 engine and the Eurofighter's EJ200 engine as well as the T56 powering the Hercules C-130 airlifter and the PT6.

MTU's future – Claire II/III

On the geared turbofan engine, the low-pressure turbine is uncoupled from the fan which allows both components to run at their optimum speeds – the fan slower and the turbine much faster. This increases efficiency and reduces carbon dioxide emissions by 15 percent. If the geared turbofan is fitted with a counter-rotating fan CO² emissions can be even reduced by 20 percent. MTU had developed and tested a fan of the type in the 1980 under the Counter Rotating Integrated Shrouded Propfan (Crisp) technology program.

In the third step of the Clean Air Engine program the counter-rotating geared turbofan will be additionally equipped with a recuperator. This innovative technology has been developed and patented by MTU. It is expected to help achieve the full 30 percent reduction in carbon dioxide burden by 2035. Another advantage of the Claire concept is that it drastically reduces noise levels.