60 Rafale (*) were ordered (42 France, 18 Indonesia), compared with 92 Export Rafale in 2022.
(*) The order for an additional 18 Rafale for Indonesia entered into force on January 8, 2024 and is therefore not part of the 60-Rafale order intake for 2023.
23 Falcon were ordered, compared with 64 in 2022.
AIRCRAFT DELIVERED IN 2023
13 Rafale (11 France, 2 Export) were delivered, while 15 had been guided.
14 Rafale (13 Export, 1 France) were delivered in 2022.
26 Falcon were delivered, while 35 (*) had been guided.
32 Falcon were delivered in 2022.
(*) Certified on August 22, 2023, Falcon 6X, integrating post certification upgrades approved by EASA, has entered into service at the end of 2023.
AIRCRAFT IN BACKLOG
As of December 31, 2023, the backlog includes:
211 Rafale (*) (141 Export, 70 France) compared with 164 Rafale as of December 31, 2022,
84 Falcon compared with 87 Falcon as of December 31, 2022.
(*) The order for an additional 18 Rafale for Indonesia entered into force on January 8, 2024 and is therefore not part of the 211-Rafale backlog of December 31, 2023.
UPCOMING FINANCIAL RELEASE
Dassault Aviation Group will release on March 6, 2024 its full year results.
The above figures relate only to the number of new aircraft. The Group points out that amounts in euros will be published on March 6, 2024.
Rafale B de l’Armée de l’Air Française en opérations extérieures (Opération Serval) – Vue en vol au dessus du Mali. Equipé de la nacelle Damoclès et de GBU-12.
Saint-Cloud, France, August 10, 2023 – Dassault Aviation (AM.PA) announces, as part of the contract signed by Indonesia on February 2022 for the acquisition of 42 Rafale, the second tranche of 18 Rafale came into force today. This follows the entry into force in September 2022 of the first tranche of 6 Rafale, bringing the total number of aircraft on order to 24.
The acquisition of the latest-generation Rafale for the Tentara Nasional Indonesia Angkatan Udara (Indonesian National Army Air Force) includes a complete “turnkey” solution as well as a substantial industrial return for the Indonesian aeronautical sector. Educational projects will also be launched as part of the technical training of aeronautical know-how.
The “omnirole” Rafale is a unique asset that will ensure Indonesia’s sovereignty and operational independence and reinforce its role as a major regional power.
(Saint-Cloud, France, July 14, 2023) – The Indian Government announced the selection of the Dassault Aviation (OTC: DUAVF) Rafale to equip Indian Navy Navy Rafale to equip the Indian Navy with a latest-generation fighter following an international competition launched by the Indian authorities. This decision comes after a successful trial campaign held in India, during which the Navy Rafale demonstrated that it fully met the Indian Navy’s operational requirements and was perfectly suited to the specificities of its aircraft carrier.
The Indian Navy’s 26 Rafale will eventually join the 36 Rafale already in service, which are giving full satisfaction to the Indian Air Force, making India the first country to make the same military choice as France by operating both versions of the aircraft to help consolidate its superiority in the air and on the seas and guarantee its sovereignty.
This selection confirms the excellence of the Rafale, the exceptional quality of the link between Dassault Aviation and the Indian Forces, and the importance of the strategic relationship between India and France.
Getafe19 April 2021 – The Airbus A400M new generation airlifter has successfully conducted a major helicopter air-to-air refueling certification campaign, completing the majority of its development and certification objectives. Airbus Defence and Space aims to achieve full helicopter air-to-air refuelling certification later this year with the conclusion of all mandatory night operation trials.
The flight tests, performed in coordination with the French Armament General Directorate (DGA), involved operations with two French Air Force H225M helicopters.
The campaign took place in day and night conditions over the west coast of France at between 1,000 ft and 10,000 ft and flight speeds as low as 105 knots. During those flights, a total of 81 wet contacts and transfers of 6.5 tonnes of fuel were achieved, which included simultaneous refuelling of two helicopters for the first time. The tests confirmed the positive results of the dry and wet contact operations conducted in 2019 and 2020.
Helicopter air-to-air refuelling is a unique military capability and key for Special Forces operations, involving aircraft with different flight profiles and sharing a very limited common flight envelope, requiring close formation flying patterns at low altitudes and night time conditions.
With this capability the A400M becomes one of the few tanker aircraft in the world capable of such operations. The multi-purpose H225M is one of the few helicopters in the world capable of in-flight refuelling, extending the standard 700 NM range by up to 10 hours flight time.
A400M as tanker
The A400M is certified as standard to be quickly configured as a tanker. Carrying up to 50.8 tonnes of fuel in its wings and centre wing box, without compromising any cargo hold area, two additional cargo hold tanks can also be installed, providing an additional 5.7 tonnes of fuel each. The separate cargo-hold tanks allows for the use of different types of fuel, enabling the A400M to cater for the needs of different types of receiver aircraft.
As a tanker, the A400M has already demonstrated its ability to refuel fighter receivers such as Eurofighter, Rafale, Tornado or F/A-18 at their preferred speeds and altitudes, and is also able to refuel other large aircraft such as another A400M for buddy refuelling, C295 or C-130.
Eric Trappier, Chairman and CEO of Dassault Aviation, has signed a contract for the sale of 12 Rafale aircraft with Florence Parly, French Minister of the Armed Forces. These aircraft will replace the 12 Rafales of the French Air and Space Force (FASF) sold to the Hellenic Air Force.
The contract was signed during a visit by the French Minister of the Armed Forces to the Argonay plant in Haute-Savoie which has produced the flight control systems for all Dassault aircraft since 1963.
Dassault Aviation and its industrial partners would like to thank the French Ministry of the Armed Forces, the French defense procurement agency DGA and the Armed Forces for their renewed confidence.
“This contract for 12 new aircraft will enable our Air and Space Force to continue the Rafale build-up while awaiting the fifth tranche, which is scheduled for delivery between 2027 and 2030. The contract is a great satisfaction for Dassault Aviation, Thales, Safran and the 500 French companies involved in the program, in the particularly difficult conditions facing our aeronautics sector in the context of the Covid crisis“, said Eric Trappier.
Eric Trappier, Florence Parly, General Philippe Lavigne (Chief of Staff of the French Air and Space Force) and Guilhem Reboul (representing the French Defense Procurement Agency).
PARIS, Oct 7 (Reuters) – France’s Dassault Aviation and Europe’s Airbus have stepped up pressure on France and Germany to agree on the next stage of a planned fighter project, warning Europe’s arms industry and long-term security could suffer from delays.
The two companies are the leading industrial partners in a project to build a futuristic swarm of manned and unmanned warplanes, announced by the leaders of France and Germany two years ago and expanded earlier this year to include Spain.
Dassault and Airbus won a 65-million-euro contract in January to develop the concept for the Future Combat Air System (FCAS) but await a new contract to build demonstrators for interlinked fighters, drones and an “air combat cloud” by 2026.
Dassault Aviation Chief Executive Eric Trappier told a conference of policymakers last month that the demonstrator contract should have been launched in September but this was now slipping towards end-year. He called it “indispensable” to avoid any further delays in order to maintain the 2026 deadline.
No reason has been given for the delays.
On Monday evening, Dassault and Airbus amplified those warnings with a joint statement.
“If Europe does not move forward — and move forward quickly — on this programme, it will be impossible to maintain the development and production capabilities needed for a sovereign defence industry,” the companies said.
The warplane system is expected to be operational from 2040, with a view to replacing Dassault’s Rafale and the four-nation Eurofighter, in which Airbus represents both Germany and Spain.
The new project faces competition from Britain and its plans for a new combat jet dubbed “Tempest”.
The fighter developments have split the current Eurofighter consortium and led to a shake-up of industrial alliances as Italy joins Eurofighter partner Britain on Tempest, turning its back on Germany and Spain, while Sweden has opened the door to abandoning its independent stance by co-operating on Tempest.
The FCAS is also overshadowed by differences between France and Germany over export policy after Germany imposed a ban on arms exports to Saudi Arabia over the death of killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi a year ago by Saudi operatives.
The ban, recently extended to March, has raised questions over a long-delayed Saudi border systems contract run by Airbus.
Airbus Defence and Space Chief Executive Dirk Hoke called in a magazine interview last week for the export ban to be relaxed. German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s government has said there is no reason for the moratorium to be lifted.
France and Germany are expected to discuss the issue at ministerial meetings this week.
AIRBUS SETBACK IN SPAIN
Airbus meanwhile faces a battle to shore up its position as a top defence contractor in Spain after losing its place as the representative of Spain’s interests on the upcoming fighter project to local defence electronics firm Indra Sistemas.
Spain last month named Indra as contractor for the Spanish share of the Franco-German-led FCAS project, displacing Airbus from the Spanish coordinator role it had held on Eurofighter.
Airbus officials have pledged to try to overturn the move but a Spanish defence source told Reuters there was no change in the decision.
Indra declined to comment.
Publicly, Airbus has said it was surprised by the decision but has pledged to continue to defend Spain’s best interests.
Dassault will meanwhile mark a long-awaited milestone on Tuesday when it delivers the first of 36 Rafales to India, the culmination of a fighter procurement process that lasted almost 20 years and involved the cancellation of a much larger deal.
La Tribune reported on Monday that France and India were discussing a possible repeat order for 36 more Rafales.
(Additional reporting by Emma Pinedo Gonzalez in Madrid, Tassilo Hummel in Berlin, Editing by Deepa Babington)
Kopter Group is thrilled to be part of the Zigermeet event, which takes place in Mollis, Switzerland, on the 16th & 17th August 2019.
Mollis being the home of Kopter, the company is very proud to support the organization of this unique event, during which all types of aircraft perform one after the other breathtaking in-flight demonstrations. On this occasion, Kopter is showcasing its SH09 prototype #2 (P2) on the static display, allowing visitors to come closer to the first Swiss made helicopter.
Rafale International will also be taking part in the Zigermeet 2019 airshow at Mollis Airport, Switzerland, from August 16 to 17, 2019.
Dassault Aviation has appointed Carlos Brana Executive Vice President, Civil Aircraft.
After graduating from the Ecole Centrale de Paris and from France’s HEC, Carlos Brana began his career at Dassault in 1984 as a design engineer on the Rafale, Mirage F1 and Mirage 2000 combat aircraft programs. He was later assistant manager for the Mirage 2000 program, then contract manager for the Qatar and Taiwan Mirage 2000-5 contracts.
After joining the foreign military sales force in 1998, he led the negotiating team for the Rafale proposal in South Korea before being named Director of Military Sales for the Middle East.
Carlos Brana moved to Dassault Aviation’s business jet operation in 2005. He began as Director of Sales for Asia at Dassault Falcon Jet (DFJ). He was later named Vice President for Contracts & Specifications, and subsequently Senior Vice President for DFJ Operations, with responsibility for customer service, finance and contract management. He also oversaw activities at the Dassault Aircraft Services (DAS) affiliate, which manages company-owned service centers in the Americas.
Since 2016 Carlos Brana served as Olivier Villa’s deputy as Senior Vice President, Civil Aircraft with a special focus on worldwide Falcon business jet sales and marketing.
The Dassault Aviation group is delighted to be presenting its dual civil and defense know-how at the 2019 edition of EBACE, Europe’s primary business aviation event, to be held in Geneva from 21 to 23 May.
Saint-Cloud, France, 17 May 2019 – The Dassault
Aviation group is delighted to be presenting its dual civil and defense
know-how at the 2019 edition of EBACE, Europe’s primary business
aviation event, to be held in Geneva from 21 to 23 May.
Three Dassault aircraft will be presented in the static display:
On its stand, Dassault Aviation will also be presenting:
a full-scale mock-up of the cabin of the Falcon 6X, the new Falcon
twin-jet currently under development. Visitors will be able to enter
this mock-up, which is fully representative of the features and comfort
of the actual cabin;
a mock-up of the Rafale, the multi-role combat aircraft, which has
proven itself in numerous theatres of operations. The Rafale is a
candidate for the Swiss Air Force’s combat fleet renewal program;
a mock-up of the nEUROn stealth combat UAV demonstrator built under
the project leadership of Dassault Aviation, in cooperation with
companies from five European countries, including Ruag of Switzerland;
a representation of the new capabilities of Dassault Aviation’s
Falcon maintenance networks, notably following the acquisition of MRO
activities of TAG Aviation in Europe and ExecuJet in Asia, Australia,
New Zealand, Africa, the Middle East and Europe.
As well as being the lynchpin of a strategic industrial network
comprising hundreds of companies in France and around the world,
Dassault Aviation is also the core industrial shareholder of the Thales
Group and the leader of the new-generation European combat aircraft
program.
