Dassault Aviation

Dassault Aviation SA

File:Dassault Aviation logo.svg Logo of Dassault Aviation
Company type	Société anonyme
Industry	Aerospace, Defense
Predecessor	Société des Avions Marcel Bloch
Founded	1929 (1929)
Founder	Marcel Bloch (later Marcel Dassault)
Headquarters	Saint-Cloud , France
Area served	Worldwide
Key people	Éric Trappier (Chairman and CEO since 2013)
Products	Military aircraft, Business jets
Owner	Dassault Group (parent company)
Parent	Dassault Group
Website	www.dassault-aviation.com

Dassault Aviation SA () is a French enterprise specializing in the production of military aircraft and business jets. Established in 1929 by Marcel Bloch under the name Société des Avions Marcel Bloch, the firm adopted the title Avions Marcel Dassault in 1947 following Bloch's name change to Marcel Dassault.

In 1971, Dassault took over Breguet Aviation, resulting in the creation of Avions Marcel Dassault-Breguet Aviation (AMD-BA). The company was rebranded as Dassault Aviation in 1990 and functions as a subsidiary within the Dassault Group. Since 9 January 2013, its leadership has been under Chairman and CEO Éric Trappier.

History

Marcel Bloch founded the company in 1929, which expanded through acquisitions such as the 1935 purchase agreement for Société Aérienne Bordelaise (SAB), later renamed Société Aéronautique du Sud-Ouest. In 1936, the French government nationalized its armaments sector, appointing Bloch as delegated administrator for the Minister for Air. During World War II, with industry operations disrupted, Bloch was detained and deported to Buchenwald concentration camp until his release in 1945.

Post-war restructuring in 1945 transformed the company into a limited liability holding entity, adopting the name Société des Avions Marcel Dassault by 1947. By 1954, it had launched an electronics division dedicated to airborne radar and missile systems. From the 1950s through the late 1970s, export markets fueled growth driven by successful platforms such as the Dassault Mirage fighter family and Mystere-Falcon business jets.

Mid-1960s government policies promoted specialization within French aerospace companies; Dassault concentrated on combat and business aircraft, while other firms specialized in missile or transport sectors. In 1967, Dassault acquired a controlling interest in Breguet Aviation, culminating in a full merger by 1971 forming AMD-BA.

In 1981, Dassault launched Dassault Systèmes to develop its CAD software CATIA, which became a leader in design technology. The French government maintained a substantial shareholding via Societé de Gestion de Participations Aéronautiques (SOGEPA), transferring these shares to Aerospatiale in 1998. Aerospatiale subsequently merged into EADS (now Airbus).

Serge Dassault stepped down as chairman in 2000, with Charles Edelstenne succeeding him; Serge assumed the role of honorary chairman. The acquisition of Atlantic Aviation, an American company, expanded Dassault’s presence in business aviation.

Airbus gradually decreased its ownership from approximately 27% in 2015 to about 10% by 2016. In April 2024, Serbia finalized a £3 billion contract with Dassault for fighter jets, marking the largest arms deal in Serbian history.

Subsidiaries

Sogitec, fully owned by Dassault, specializes in developing advanced avionics simulation tools, three-dimensional imaging technologies, military flight simulators, and document imaging solutions.

Military

• Breguet series See main article: Dassault Breguet
• MD 315 Flamant, introduced in 1947
• MD 450 Ouragan, launched in 1951
• Mystère, debuting in 1951
  • MD 452 Mystère I, II, III including one-off MD-452 nightfighter from 1951
  • MD 454 Mystère IV, first flown in 1952
  • Super Mystère, introduced in 1955
• MD 550 Mystère-Delta, prototype from 1955
• Étendard series starting from 1956
  • Étendard II, first flown in 1956
  • Étendard IV, introduced in 1958
  • Super Étendard, launched in 1974
• Mirage lineup:
  • Mirage III, debuted in 1956
  • Mirage IV (strategic bomber), first flight in 1959
  • Mirage IIIV, developed between1965–1966
  • Mirage 5, introduced in1967
  • Mirage F1, from1966
  • Mirage F2 prototype from1966
  • Mirage G, first flown in1967
  • Mirage G-4/G-8, developed by1971
  • Mirage 2000, introduced in1978
  • Mirage 2000N/2000D, operational since1986
  • Mirage4000 prototype from1979
  • Mirage50, launched in1979
  • Mirage III NG, introduced1982
• Cavalier MD610, VSTOL concept aircraft from1959
• MD410 Spirale, developed circa1960
• Balzac V, VSTOL model from1962
• Atlantique (ATL1), originally from Breguet lineage, debuting1965
• Milan, introduced1968
• MD320 Hirondelle, light military utility aircraft with a single prototype built in1968
• Joint ventures:
  • Dassault/Dornier Alpha Jet withDornier since1973
  • SEPECAT Jaguar (50/50 partnership withBAC) initiated within Breguet, also from1973
• Variants of Falcon:
  • Falcon Guardian1, introduced1977
  • Falcon Guardian2, launched1981
• Atlantique2 (ATL2), operational since1982
• Rafale, first flight1986
• Experimental platforms:
  • AVE-D, maiden flight2000
  • nEUROn, first flown2012
• Future projects include the New Generation Fighter intended to succeed Rafale

Civilian

• Breguet lineage See main article: Dassault Breguet
• Falcon series
  • Falcon 10 (enhanced as Falcon 100)
  • Falcon 20 (upgraded to Falcon 200)
  • Falcon 30 (Mystère 30) – prototype airliner with 30 seats
  • Falcon 40 (Mystère 40) – proposed 40-seat airliner model
  • Falcon 50
  • Falcon 900
  • Falcon 2000
  • Falcon 6X
  • Falcon 7X (initially known as Falcon FNX)
  • Falcon 8X
  • Falcon 10X (currently in development)
• Mercure – Dassault’s sole commercial airliner, created to rival the Boeing 737. Only a dozen units produced.
• Communauté – A single prototype was constructed.

Production

• St. Cloud – originally an engine and fighter manufacturing site since approximately 1938; presently houses heavy simulation systems and serves as the technical division’s headquarters
• Argenteuil – operational since around 1952
• Biarritz – Breguet facility incorporated in 1971
• Merignac – established circa 1947
• Talence – active between 1939 and 1947
• Lorraine – leased location from about 1951 before operations moved to Argenteuil
• Nagpur – A joint venture with Reliance Aerostructure Limited (a subsidiary of Reliance Infrastructure) known as Dassault Reliance Aerospace Limited (DRAL), situated at MIHAN, Nagpur airport in Maharashtra, India. As of the year 2025, it supplies components for the Dassault Falcon family and the Dassault Rafale.
  • Founded in 2017 featuring a modern manufacturing plant; delivered its first Falcon 2000 front fuselage in 2019.
  • By 2025, produces over one hundred key parts and includes the initial final assembly line outside France for the Dassault Falcon 2000LXS model.
  • Functions as a Center of Excellence for the Falcon range, covering programs such as the Falcon 6X and Falcon 8X.
  • The inaugural aircraft assembled at this site is projected to take flight in 2028.

Service Facilities

• Located in United States, France, China, Brazil
• Noida: Dassault Aviation is developing a Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) center in India through its subsidiary Dassault Aviation Maintenance Repair Overhaul India (DAMROI). This facility supports fleets of the Indian Air Force and Indonesian Air Force, specifically for the Dassault Mirage 2000 and Dassault Rafale. Maintenance services are also available for the SEPECAT Jaguar, though this fleet is nearing phase-out.

Sales Offices

• Presence in China, Greece, Malaysia, Oman, Russia, Taiwan

DAS Network

• Operating in Paraguay and United States

See also

• Dassault Group
• Dassault Falcon
• Dassault Rafale
• Mirage 2000
• nEUROn

References

• Dassault Aviation History from 1916 to present. Accessed January 5, 2006.