Photo: Sorbis / Shutterstock Singapore is determined to play a big part in shaping the future of commercial aviation. The latest proof is the new agreement inked yesterday, February 2, 2026, between the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore, CFM International, and Airbus to establish the country as the world’s first airport test environment for CFM’s next-generation engine technologies.
Airbus. Photo: Photofex_AUT / ShutterstockThe three parties signed a memorandum of understanding at the third Changi Aviation Summit, laying the groundwork for testing and evaluating CFM’s Revolutionary Innovation for Sustainable Engines program, better known as RISE. The main focus of the RISE program will be on the Open Fan engine design, which represents a radical departure from today’s enclosed engines.
At its core, the partnership aims to gain a deep understanding of what it truly means to operate these new engines in live airport conditions, with the purpose of building a detailed readiness framework that would then serve as a global reference point once the technology moves closer to commercial use.
The Open Fan concept removes the traditional engine casing, allowing for a larger fan with less aerodynamic drag. According to CFM, the RISE program targets fuel-efficiency improvements of more than 20% compared with engines in service today, while also reducing emissions and noise. The technology is also being developed with future hybrid electric systems in mind, making it a key candidate for the next generation of narrow-body aircraft.
Singapore’s aviation ecosystem will be used as a living laboratory, bringing together technical and operational expertise across multiple disciplines. There are also plans to carry out operational trials using Open Fan demonstrators at Changi Airport or Seletar Airport to see how the technology performs in real-world conditions.
Singapore Changi Airport. Photo:aiyoshi597 / ShutterstockMr Han Kok Juan, Director General of CAAS, said: “CFM International’s and Airbus’s partnership with CAAS to establish in Singapore the world’s first airport testbed for next generation propulsion technologies is testament to Singapore’s offering as an integrated air hub with strong regulatory expertise where companies can testbed technologies and develop real-world protocols for deployment at scale globally.”
For CFM, the agreement marks a major step forward for the RISE program. Mr Gaël Méheust, President and Chief Executive Officer of CFM International, said: “This first-of-its-kind agreement is a huge boon for the CFM RISE development program. These technologies are designed to deliver unprecedented improvements in fuel efficiency (and emissions) in a highly robust future product that can support demanding operations.”
Airbus also sees Singapore as the right place to move from theory to practice. Mr Remi Maillard, Executive Vice President Engineering for the Commercial Aircraft business and Head of Technology Airbus, said: “We are excited to be partnering with CAAS and CFM to take new propulsion system technologies to the next level of maturity by testing them against future operational requirements. Airbus is committed to pioneering sustainable aerospace, and this partnership is a testament to that.”
Also yesterday, the CAAS, together with the Singapore Sustainable Aviation Fuel Company Ltd. and nine companies, announced the launch of the country's first trial for central procurement of voluntary SAF.
Last week, Airbus' direct competitor, Boeing, announced its Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) initiative would be joined by El Al after also signing a strategic collaboration with the Technion for the development phase of the revolutionary fuel.