Listen to the chapter
"Foundations"
in podcast format
An industrialist during
the Great War
Verdun, 1916. The first real air battle in history rages in the skies over Verdun. France’s Nieuport pursuit planes are equipped with an impressive new propeller that is simple, rugged, effective and even beautiful. It’s called the Éclair (“Lightning”), and it was designed by Marcel Bloch, barely 24 years old.
The following year, with some 40 propeller manufacturers in France turning out 253 different models, the government selected only the three best, including the Éclair, which would be used, for example, on the Spad VII flown by French ace Georges Guynemer. This commercial breakthrough marked the start of one of the most striking success stories in the international aviation industry.
During recreation period one day in the courtyard of the school, I saw an airplane go by for the first time. It was a Wilbur Wright plane owned by the count of lambert, and it was circling the Eiffel tower.
I had never seen an airplane, but right then I understood that aviation had entered my mind and my heart.
Marcel Dassault
Marcel Bloch
Marcel Bloch was born on January 22, 1892 in Paris, and quickly became fascinated by the daring feats of the pioneering aviators. In 1913, he earned a degree in aeronautical engineering from the École supérieure d’aéronautique.
Called up for his military service, he was assigned to the aeronautics laboratory in Chalais-Meudon, near Paris.
Shortly after the start of World War I, Marcel Bloch and Henry Potez were chosen to oversee the manufacture of Caudron G-3 reconnaissance planes, with production duties split between several well-known manufacturers.
The SEA IV and its Éclair propeller chosen by the army
It was at this point that Bloch designed the new Éclair propeller, and had it manufactured by carpenters in Paris. His first experience as manufacturer familiarized him with the wide variety of production issues, and above all gave him vital data about a broad range of airplanes, since manufacturers sent him all the associated technical specifications.
At that point, Marcel Bloch decided to become an aircraft manufacturer himself, in association with his friends Henry Potez and Louis Coroller.
They founded the Société d’Études Aéronautiques (SEA) on July 1, 1917, offering their SEA IV twin-seat pursuit and reconnaissance airplane.
The French army ordered 1,000 of these planes in late 1917, but with the war ending just after production startup, only 115 were built. Marcel Bloch therefore shifted his focus to real estate and furniture manufacture while waiting for brighter days.
The war we had won at such a high cost in human lives was regarded by everyone then as "the war to end all wars".
The government services responsible for airplane production informed us that, if we wished, we could make doors, windows or wheelbarrows, but it would be a long time before any new orders for aircraft were given.
And even if someday a government order were to be given, it would be for only a few airplanes, and it would go to the big companies with big factories and reserves of manpower, like Voisin, Breguet, Farman and others.
Marcel Dassault, The Talisman
Return to aviation
France created a Ministry of Aviation in 1928, kicking off a policy of developing prototypes to modernize the French military fleet. Marcel Bloch, his enthusiasm rekindled by Lindbergh’s flight across the Atlantic in 1927, was ready to return to his first love, aviation.
Monsieur Bloch founded his own design office in 1929 and submitted a proposal to the ministry for the construction of a trimotor plane with all-metal construction – an innovative technique at the time – to carry the mail. This aircraft would not enter production, but the French army still needed a three-engine plane to reach the country’s colonies, so they ordered a modified version: the MB-120.
The main planes that followed included the single-engine MB-81, designed for the transport of wounded soldiers, and ordered in 1931; prototypes of light planes; and the twin-engine warplanes MB-200 (1933), MB-210 (1934) and MB-131 (1936).
Marcel Bloch also began the construction of airliners, including the twin-engine MB-220 (1936) and the four-engine MB-160 (1939), later the Languedoc, flown by Air France. In just a few short years he had become the country’s second leading aircraft manufacturer.
You were offering us a beautifully designed airplane, of all-metal construction, and you precisely and efficiently assessed all of its characteristics. You yourself determined, like I still do today, all aspects of its production, which seemed to me emblematic of an eminent manufacturer with a great future in aviation.
Albert Caquot
Chief Technical Officer at the French Ministry of Aviation in 1928, talking about the MB-60.
© Dassault Aviation - DR
Bloch’s success in the combat aircraft sector was especially striking. A total of 750 MB-151, MB-152 and MB-155 fighters were produced. His company also made a light bomber and a twin-engine ground attack plane, the MB-174 and MB-175, respectively. A total of 1,000 were ordered, but the rapid outcome of the war in France limited deliveries.
An MB-174 in the hands of Captain Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
Built by SNCASO from November 1939 to May 1940, the MB-174s were assembled in Mérignac. After reinforcing their armament, the first available aircraft were delivered in March to GR II/33 and, on March 29, Captain de Saint-Exupéry carried out one of the first war missions on an MB-174. He would draw inspiration from it to write his famous book “War Pilot”.
The production of these different models was distributed among several manufacturers, under license, to give them sufficient workload. The MB-200, MB-210 and MB-152 were exported. A total of about 1,800 Bloch civil and military aircraft were built before the Second World War.
The main Bloch aircraft
In just six years, from 1930 to 1935, Marcel Bloch became France's second-largest aircraft manufacturer. Thanks to his intense activity and inventiveness, he covered most areas of civil and military aviation. This duality enabled him to use innovative technical solutions from one aircraft to the next. Between 1930 and 1940, 1,800 Bloch aircraft were produced.
1932
MB-80
MB-80
Built under a government contract, the MB-80 made its maiden flight in early summer 1932 at Villacoublay, piloted by Zacharie Heu. An all-metal low-wing monoplane, it could reach speeds of 190 km/h and altitudes of 6,400 metres, and was capable of taking off in 70 metres and landing in 95 metres. In autumn 1932, the MB-80 made 209 landings in a day and a half without the slightest problem.
This aircraft was designed to pick up the sick and wounded using small, makeshift airfields, which could even be found at high altitudes during military operations in mountainous country, as was the case in the Atlas mountains of Morocco.
1933
MB-200
MB-200
In 1932, Marcel Bloch responded to the French night bomber programme. He presented the MB-200. Broadly speaking, it was the MB-120 three-engine transport, militarised and improved. More than 200 were produced.
The MB-200 enabled the Bloch company to win its first export contract. In 1935, Czechoslovakia bought the licence to manufacture the aircraft and fitted it with Czech engines. It produced 114 aircraft before the German annexation of 1938.
1936
MB-220
MB-220
This aircraft made its first flight in 1936. It was a civilian extrapolation of the MB-210 bomber. Used on Air France's European routes, it was a very comfortable aircraft designed to carry sixteen passengers. With this aircraft, the company, already well established in the military sector, definitively established its activity in civil aviation.
1938
MB-152
MB-152
The MB-152 is a solid aircraft, capable of withstanding a lot of damage and providing a very stable firing platform.
The GC II /1 fighter group organised a confrontation with Morane 406s:
« The climb and speed exercises were in favour of the Bloch. So what did we have to complain about? We didn't realise what a treasure we had. »
SH AA, G7/785, GC II /1 Fighter Group Log.
According to official figures, during the Battle of France in 1940, the MB-152s of the French air force scored 159 victories for 94 aircraft lost in combat.
discover other Marcel Bloch aircraft
Night and fog
As early as 1930, Marcel Bloch had begun to form an outstanding team of young engineers, wholly devoted to the charismatic patron.
Concerned about his workers’ wellbeing, Monsieur Bloch gave them a week of paid vacation starting in 1935. His “human resources” policy would always be ahead of that applied by his industry counterparts.
When the aviation industry was nationalized in 1936, Bloch’s factories became part of the new company, Société Nationale de Construction Aéronautique du Sud Ouest (SNCASO). He was named managing director of this company, a position he would hold until January 1940. At the same time, Bloch set up an independent design office to continue working on his own ideas.
Boilermakers working on the MB-152.
Boilermakers building the MB-152. Text: Marcel Bloch understood that a modern factory should not produce like a 19th century factory. He believed in social ideas that were in line with his industrial realism. For him, the well-being of workers was a priority. In 1935, he was one of the first in France to grant workers a week's paid holiday.
Boilermakers working on the MB-152.
Boilermakers building the MB-152. Text: Marcel Bloch understood that a modern factory should not produce like a 19th century factory. He believed in social ideas that were in line with his industrial realism. For him, the well-being of workers was a priority. In 1935, he was one of the first in France to grant workers a week's paid holiday.
Germaine de Vaucresson, his cousin, knew his workers: « They all thought highly of him. They said he was an intelligent and worthwhile boss, tough but fair, generous, who knew how to reward everyone's merits.»
The MB-152 production line at the SNCASO plant in Châteauroux-Déols.
Production of the MB-152 was divided between the various SNCASO factories. It is likely that between 1938 and 1940, almost 700 MB-151 and MB-152 aircraft were produced and delivered to the French air force and navy, at an average rate of 25 aircraft per month.
The facade of the Bloch factory in Saint-Cloud in the immediate post-war period.
Following the Popular Front victory in May 1936, Léon Blum's government wanted to control the manufacture of war materials for national defence. With his aircraft manufacturing company nationalised, Marcel Bloch was no longer allowed to mass-produce aircraft.
He decided to set up the société anonyme des avions Marcel Bloch, which engaged in other industrial activities, such as the manufacture of propellers and engines.
The Marcel Bloch factory in Courbevoie in 1938.
The factory was bustling with activity, as noted by the aeronautical magazine "L’Air":
« Well supported by active, young people, Marcel Bloch has a factory that impresses visitors; they never expected to find such an active, buzzing industrial business behind the quiet façade » L'Air, No. 433, 15 September 1933.
In 1945, Benno-Claude Vallières was decorated for his services with the British SAS commandos.
Many of the employees chosen by Marcel Bloch in the 1930s demonstrated their bravery during the Second World War, including Benno-Claude Vallières, future CEO, and Henri Déplante, future Technical General Manager, who served in the British Special Air Service (SAS) commandos, as well as Xavier d'Iribarne, future Head of Production and organiser of logistics for the 1st armoured division.
In October 1940, Marcel Bloch was imprisoned by the Vichy government, and his goods were confiscated.
A fervent patriot who refused to work for the occupying force, he was deported to Buchenwald by the Nazis.
Although very ill, he managed to survive until the liberation of this concentration camp in April 1945, thanks to help from a clandestine communist organization.
Throughout this extremely trying period, Marcel Bloch, who was convinced the Allies would eventually win, never stopped designing his planes. He had a single goal in mind: to resume production after the war.
Imprisoned at fort Montluc in 1944, Marcel Bloch seemed as inapt as possible to stand up to this particularly harsh prison, where many people died.
But he was a reed with a backbone of steel, tough, flexible and of an exceptional caliber. […]
He was phlegmatic, impassive, calm, and throughout the day he would repeat: ‘When things get tough, be strong,’… and he was strong. That was his manner. He was impossible to perturb, and he had a logical optimism, because he really believed that the Germans would lose the war.
André Frossard writer and member of the French Academy.
1945 - 1975
The Magic Years
Éclair propeller
This first airplane product developed by Marcel Dassault was used on the Spad VII flown by French ace Georges Guynemer.
Simple, robust, effective and beautiful, this propeller already embodied the DNA of Dassault’s future products.
« When Guynemer’s plane, ‘Le Vieux Charles’, with its 19 victories, was presented at the Invalides as a witness to his glory, I went to see it. Naturally I saw the propeller, one I had designed and built. I felt a lot of satisfaction, and maybe just a bit of pride. »
Marcel Dassault, Aviation Magazine, May 1, 1976.
SEA IV
First production aircraft by Marcel Dassault.
At the end of 1917, the French Minister of Arms and War Production, Louis Loucheur, ordered 1,000 SEA IV planes. Marcel Bloch and Henry Potez had just won their first aircraft order. As Dassault later recalled in his memoirs, « ÀI was 26 years old and Potez was 27. It was a pretty good start. » Marcel Dassault, The Talisman
MB-60
First all-metal postal French aircraft.
During a visit to Marcel Bloch’s home in 1930, as part of his interview for a job, Henri Déplante, future chief technical officer of Dassault, was surprised to see an incomplete all metal MB-60 trimotor mail plane in the stairway.
He was won over by the chance to work with new materials, and his decision was made: « I came, I saw, I was convinced. I want to work with this young boss! »
MB-80
First French all-metal ambulance aircraft, mass-produced.
The prototype MB-80, built according to a State contract, performed its first flight at the beginning of the summer 1932 at Villacoublay, piloted by Zacharie Heu.
It was a completely metallic monoplane with low wings and equipped with a Lorraine 5 PC (120 CV engine).
It could reach a maximum speed of 190 km/h and a maximum height of 6 400 meters. Its take-off distance was 70 meters and its landing distance was 95 meters.
In autumn 1932, the MB-80 accomplished in one day and a half 209 landings flawlessly.
MB-120
First Bloch production commercial airliner, mass-produced.
The MB-120 was designed for a program requiring a multipurpose aircraft to provide services to far-flung colonies, including exploration, liaison, medical evacuation and transport, along with the ability to perform ground attack and bombing missions.
The aircraft deserved its nickname of « The Indestructible ». It flew to distant locations which offered barely any maintenance facilities or personnel, proving to be very reliable under these conditions. Used by the Air Afrique transport authority, it would be Marcel Bloch’s first successful venture in the civil aviation sector.
MB-200
First Bloch bomber ordered, mass-produced and exported.
In 1932, Marcel Bloch submitted a proposal for a French night bomber. He offered the MB-200, a fighter-bomber-reconnaissance plane derived from the MB-120 airliner, but improved and militarized. More than 200 would be produced.
It also gave Bloch his first export contract. In 1935, Czechoslovakia bought a production license for the MB-200, to be powered by a Czech engine. It would build 114 before the country was annexed by Germany in 1938.
MB-210
Bomber with a retractable gear and variable pitch propeller, produced and exported.
The Bloch MB-210, which has a family resemblance with its predecessor, the Bloch MB-200, was originally the response to a Navy requirement for a heavy torpedo bomber in 1932.
The Marcel Bloch company began working on a response to the Navy requirement in 1933, using its own funding. The MB-210 adopted the same construction principles that had been developed for the MB-200. It was an all-metal low-wing cantilever monoplane. The fuselage was built as a single assembly around four angle longerons, frames and a sheet metal skin. It had a rounded rectangular cross section. The totality of the metallic skin was stiffened by U-section stringers, giving the entire airframe its characteristic appearance.
MB-220
First Bloch production airliner, used by Air France.
The MB-220 twin-engine airliner made its first flight in 1936. It was a civilian derivative of the MB-210 bomber.
Used on Air France’s European routes, it was a very comfortable plane, holding up to 16 passengers. The MB-220 allowed Bloch, already well established in military aviation, to also become a full-fledged player in the civil aviation sector.
MB-160
First Bloch production four-engine airliner, mass-produced.
The prototype four-engined MB-160 was a direct extrapolation of the twin-engined MB-220. On 18th June 1937, André Curvale, the Bloch chief test pilot, performed its maiden flight. During the testing campaign, the prototype demonstrated that the aircraft was capable of flying with two engines shut down on the same side, and it came seventh in the Istres-Damas-Paris race in 1937.
MB-152
First mass-produced and exported Bloch fighter.
The MB-152 was a rugged aircraft, offering a very stable firing platform and excellent damage resistance.
The GC II/I fighter group organized a contest with a unit flying the Morane 406 fighter. According to one of its men, « The Bloch showed better climb performance and higher speed. So why would anyone complain? We didn’t realize what a jewel we had... »
SHAA, G7/785, fighter group GC II/I logbook.
According to official records, French air force MB-152 fighters recorded 159 victories during the Battle of France in 1940, with 94 planes being lost in combat.
MB-174
First Bloch production recce aircraft.
The Bloch MB-174 and MB-175, along with the Dewoitine D-520, were considered the best French airplanes of World War II.
On March 29, 1940, Captain Antoine de Saint-Exupéry flew one of his first wartime missions at the controls of an MB-174. That inspired his famous book, 'Pilot de guerre' ('Flight to Arras').
MD-315 Flamant
First Dassault production aircraft after World War II.
Saturday, October 4, 1947: it’s a very competitive atmosphere during flight trials at the Marignane airport, near Marseille. Three models, the Dassault Flamant MD-315, the SNCAC 701 Siebel and the SNCASO SO 94, are conducting a fly-off that will be determined by a single criterion: rate of climb. The winner earns a government order that will be decisive for the company’s future. Two days later, the Flamant is ranked “best in class”. More than 300 will be ordered, in three different versions: MD-311, 312 and 315.
The Flamant twin-engine transport would enjoy a long career. Several of these models are still being flown today by avid collectors.
MD-450 Ouragan
First French production jet fighter, exported.
Marcel Dassault quickly realized that jet fighters were the wave of the future. He started with a simple and realistic design, a first step towards more sophisticated versions.
The prototype made its first flight in 1949, and the production version was deployed by the French air force from 1952 to 1961.
It was flown by the French aerobatics team, the Patrouille de France, from 1954 to 1957. The Ouragan was also the first French military aircraft to be exported after the war, with 113 sold to India in 1953 and 24 to Israel in 1954.
MD-452 Mystère II
First French production aircraft to break the sound barrier in a dive, mass-produced.
Using the experience from the Ouragan’s first flights, Marcel Dassault managed to use a pre-production plane to improve its aerodynamic features. On February 11, 1950, he signed a contract to design and build thin-section wings that could fit an MD-450 Ouragan’s fuselage. The MD-452, later renamed Mystère, was thus born.
On October 28, Major Marion Davis flew n° 03. As opposed to French pilots, he knew the secret to directing the sound towards the public, and the much-anticipated boom was heard. Commander Roger Carpentier from the flight test center was the first Frenchman to officially break the sound barrier on December 12, 1952, in Brétigny.
Jacqueline Auriol was the first woman to do so, on August 15, 1953, in the cockpit of a Mystère II.
Mystère IV
First French production supersonic jet for the French Air Force, exported.
In 1953, just six months after the Mystère IV’s first flight, the French government placed an order for 225. The purchase was financed by the United States, which offered them to the French air force, as part of NATO’s air forces. This contract would propel Dassault into the international market.
The Mystère IV was deployed by the French air force from 1955 to 1982, and also used by the Patrouille de France aerobatics team from 1957 to 1963. At the Paris Air Show in 1957, the Patrouille de France, flying the Mystère IV, was the first aerobatics team in the world to use three-color smoke trails: blue, white, and red.
The total production count was 411, including 242 for France, 59 for Israel and 110 for India.
Étendard IV
First French production carrier-based jet fighter.
The Étendard IV M was the first time carrier-borne airplane designed by Dassault, and the first French-designed jet airplane to be deployed on the country's aircraft carriers.
Through the development of the Étendard, the company discovered the many constraints of naval operation: low-speed handling, catapult launches, deck landings, etc. The Étendard IV M made its first flight in 1958. Test flights were supervised by Serge Dassault and Roland Glavany, chief test pilot.
The French navy would order a total of 90 aircraft, including 21 in the photo reconnaissance version, Étendard IV P.
Super Mystère B2
First production supersonic aircraft with afterburner, exported.
The Super-Mystère B-2 was the first production fighter in Western Europe to go supersonic in horizontal flight at low attitude. The prototype made its first flight in 1956. Dassault and state-owned companies split the production of 180 aircraft between 1957 and 1959.
A total of 154 Super-Mystère B-2 were delivered to the French air force. It was deployed as a daytime interceptor from 1958 to 1977. Israel ordered 24 Super-Mystère B-2s in 1958.
Mirage III
First European aircraft to reach Mach 2, produced and exported.
The Mirage III multirole fighter was produced on a single final assembly line. Each customer received a baseline aircraft, and could choose from among several versions depending on the equipment to be fitted. The Mirage III and Mirage 5 remained in operational service with the French air force from 1961 to 1994.
On June, 1962, Jacqueline Auriol, at the controls of a production-standard Mirage III C, set a new world speed record for women, flying a 100-kilometer closed circuit at a speed of 1,849 kilometers per hour (1,149 mph). On June 14, 1963, she raised the record to 2,030 km/h (1,261 mph), this time flying a Mirage IIIR.
The Mirage III's combat effectiveness and its deployment by General de Gaulle as a weapon of diplomacy contributed to the plane's export success. A total of 1,401 Mirage III and derivated models Mirage 5 and Mirage 50 would be built in 80 different versions for 20 countries around the world.
Mirage IV
First production bomber for the French Strategic Air Force arm, mass-produced.
The international situation in November 1956, especially the Suez crisis, spurred a change in France’s arms policy. France officially decided to acquire nuclear capability, meaning warheads as well as the platforms needed to carry them, starting with an aircraft.
The powerful twin-engine Mirage IV 01, ordered in April 1957, made its first flight on June 17, 1959 at Melun-Villaroche, near Paris, flown by Roland Glavany. The French government decided to give Dassault full responsibility for this aircraft, including the bomb (except for the nuclear warhead), and the nav-attack system. Everything would be governed by a single decision center, under the control of the ministerial delegation for arms. This approach was employed by the government to guarantee the overall accuracy of the weapon system, and to keep the program on schedule.
The Mirage IV A entered service in October 1964. It was Europe’s first operational nuclear bomber, capable of long-range flights at speeds exceeding Mach 2. A total of 62 would be produced, and this aircraft would remain in service with the French air force until 2005.
MD-415 Communauté
Multi-mission twin-turboprop aircraft, with liaison transport and training capabilities.
The MD-415 Communauté had a pressurized fuselage and could carry about ten passengers as well as a considerable battery of weapons (two 30-mm cannons, bombs, rockets and air-to-ground missiles) for air strikes.
With its twin Turboméca Bastan turboprops, the MD-415 made its maiden flight at Bordeaux-Mérignac on May 10, 1959, piloted by Paul Boudier, Dominique Mourey and Jean Dillaire.
MD-410 Spirale
Multi-mission twin-turboprop aircraft, intended for observation and armed intervention (tactical support).
The MD-410 Spirale was a short take-off and landing aircraft, which could also carry the logistics back-up of the vertical take-off Mirages.
While keeping the wings and engines of the Communauté, the Spirale had a narrower fuselage, better suited to ground attack missions. Weighing 5.5 tonnes, it had some 90% of parts in common with the Communauté.
The Spirale nonetheless made its maiden flight at Bordeaux-Mérignac on April 8, 1960, with Paul Boudier and Gilles Brecq at the controls.
Atlantic
A high-seas reconnaissance anti-submarine aircraft with a wide operating range.
The Atlantic was an aircraft of 43t at take-off, powered by two Tyne turbo-propos of 5,500 hp, with a 12-man crew for missions lasting up to 18 hours, crossing a distance of about 8,000 km (4,300 nm) at a maximum velocity of 650 km/hr (350 knots).
The first was flown at Toulouse on October 31, 1961, piloted by Bernard Witt assisted by Romeo Zinzoni and René Périneau.
Balzac V 001
Prototype of the only vertical takeoff aircraft to have reached Mach 2 (V 02 version).
An experimental single-seater for the study and development of the vertical take-off Mirage III V, the Balzac V 001 carried neither weapons nor operational equipment.
The lift jets were to be supplied with air via four intakes situated above the fuselage, while their exhaust pipes would be situated above the fuselage, while their exhaust pipes would be situated in apertures with blanking caps which would be closed during normal raid flight.
This was the beginning of modern flight controls (absence of linkage and redundancy). Balzac V 001 was also the first aircraft to transmit flight data to the ground by telemetering.
Mystère Falcon 20
First Dassault Aviation business jet, selected by Charles Lindbergh for Pan Am, produced and exported.
Dassault packed this aircraft with the technical solutions it had tried and tested in military applications. In particular, these included the three-axis servo controls, fine-tuned aerodynamics using the day’s state-of-the-art systems, and “conical wing cambers” akin to the ones used on the Mirage and Concorde, designed by ONERA.
René Bigand took the Mystère 20 prototype on its first flight on May 4, 1963.
Mirage III V
On August 29, 1961, the DTIA ordered the design and development of two Mirage III V vertical take-off prototypes to be produced conjointly by Dassault Aviation and Sud-Aviation.
The Mirage III V, a Mach 2 aircraft heavier than the Balzac, prefigured the operational version. It had eight Rolls-Royce RB 162-1 lift jets and a Snecma TF 106 with afterburner, the French version of the Pratt&Whitney JTF 10 turbofan.
Mirage III V 01, equipped with a TF 104 b turbofan (63.7 kN of thrust with reheat) made its first stationary flight at Melun-Villaroche on February 12, 1965, piloted by René Bigand.
Mirage F1
First Dassault production jet fighter with integrated digital weapons suite, exported.
The Mirage F1, whose development was funded by Dassault and its partners, first flew in 1966. It exceeded Mach 2 on its fourth flight. The Mirage F1 was a Mach 2 fighter that could land at lower speeds than the Mirage III (125 knots), thanks to lift augmentation devices that were very difficult to incorporate on such a thin wing. Production of this aircraft was split between several partners and subcontractors: Aerospatiale, Latécoère, CASA (Spain), Fairey and SABCA (Belgium). It would be deployed by the French air force from 1973 to 2014. The Mirage F1 was also a big hit in export markets: out of the 725 built, 473 were exported to ten countries.
Mirage 5
A Mirage III derivative, the Mirage 5 is a low-altitude tactical support and patrol aircraft.
On July 9, 1965, the management of the Corporation’s General Technical Department decided on the definition of a Mirage III E with a simplified layout. This low altitude tactical support and patrol aircraft was named the Mirage 5.
In place of the radar, the nose cone was to be fitted with the electronic navigation and attack equipment, thereby providing space for extra fuel. More attachment points were provided for external loads, while the booster rocket was removed.
The Mirage 5 first flew at Melun-Villaroche on May 19, 1967, piloted by Hervé Leprince-Ringuet. A total 517 units have been produced for 11 different countries. The Mirage 5 is Dassault’s most widely exported combat aircraft.
Mirage G
Swing wing jet prototype whose G8 version reached Mach 2.34.
In just over three years, Dassault came up with the design needed to fit the wing pivot points in a fuselage. On November 18, 1967, Jean Coureau took off in the twin-seat Mirage G. It was followed by the Mirage G 8-01 and 02.
On July 1973, Jean-Marie Saget hit Mach 2.34 at the controls of the Mirage G 8-02, a speed unrivaled in Western Europe.
MD-320 Hirondelle
A light twin-engine transport (for 8 to 12 passengers), for civil and military use.
The aerodynamics of the MD-320 were derived from the Communauté and its wings from the Mystère 20. Cabin capacity and range were as for the Mystère 20. The engines were 870 hp Turboméca Astazou XIVs. Though its speed was only 270 knots – as against 430 for the Mystère 20 – it only cost half the price.
It made its maiden flight at Bordeaux-Mérignac on September 11, 1968 with Hervé Leprince-Ringuet and Jean Coureau at the controls.
Jaguar
First Dassault production jet fighter built as a cooperative venture, exported.
The first flight of the Jaguar took place on September 8, 1968 at Istres, piloted by Bernard Witt.
Falcon 10
First business jet fitted with a wing designed using 3D computer modeling, produced and exported.
The Falcon 10, whose structural design is similar to that of Dassault’s military aircraft, bore a certain family resemblance to the Mystère-Falcon 20, but it was smaller. Pan Am placed an order for this new executive jet in December 1969, a year before its first flight on December 1, 1970. Production would call on subcontractors not only in France, but also in Spain and Italy. The Falcon 10 quickly acquired a reputation as the world’s fastest business aircraft. It was capable of crossing the United States with a single stopover faster than aircraft which could fly non-stop. Pilots quickly nicknamed the Falcon 10 “The Corporate Bullet”. The third prototype (Falcon V10F) was used for tests of carbon-fiber wings. A total of 229 Falcon 10 business jets would be built.
Mercure
First jointly-built production jet airliner, exported.
The Mercure, which made its first flight in 1971, was a short/medium-haul single-aisle commercial jet with 130 to 150 seats. It featured a sophisticated design to ensure the most economical operation possible. The production of this new airplane required modified or new facilities: Martignas, Seclin, Poitiers and Istres. Production was overseen by Dassault as prime contractor, with partners and subcontractors in Italy, Spain, Switzerland, Belgium and Canada. The Mercure was the first major joint European program for a commercial airplane, heralding future large-scale partnerships such as Airbus. Air Inter deployed 11 Mercure jets, which remained in service until 1995. The Mercure logged 360,000 flight hours, carried 44 million passengers on 440,000 flights without any accidents, and posted an on-time record of 98%.
Alpha Jet
First Dassault trainer jet built as a cooperative venture, exported.
The Alpha Jet is a twin-engine, twin-seat trainer and tactical support aircraft, designed jointly by Dassault and Dornier to address the program specifications defined by the French and German air forces.
This new aircraft made its first flight in 1973. Since being commissioned in 1978, the technical design of the Alpha Jet has evolved to keep pace with progress in nav-attack systems.
Ten countries ordered more than 500 Alpha Jets, and it has been used by the Patrouille de France aerobatics team since 1981.
Super Étendard
First French carrier-based production jet fighter with modern weapons system, exported.
The French navy wanted to revamp its aircraft fleet in the early 1970s, and Dassault offered a modernized version of the Étendard IV M. The main upgrades concerned the propulsion system, wings and weapon suite. It was the first production aircraft in France to be fitted with an integrated nav-attack system. The Super Étendard made its first flight on October 28, 1974. The French navy ordered 71 of these carrier-borne fighters, with Argentina taking another 14.
Falcon 50
First business jet in the world with a supercritical wing, exported.
Hervé Leprince-Ringuet and Gérard Joyeuse took the Falcon 50’s maiden flight. It was powered by three Garrett TFE 731-3 jet engines, and flew out of Bordeaux-Mérignac on November 7, 1976.
In December 1976, the company’s authorities decided to revamp the prototype, fitting improved wings. Its first flight with the new wings took place on May 6, 1977, out of Istres, again at the hands of Hervé Leprince-Ringuet and Gérard Joyeuse. The plane proved hopes invested in the wing design to be well-founded. The Falcon 50 became the world’s first civil aircraft featuring supercritical wings, and secured certification on February 27, 1979.
Falcon Guardian
The first Falcon 20 G (n° 362), the first aircraft to be equipped with two ATF-3 turbofans, flew in Mérignac on 28 November 1977, with Hervé Leprince-Ringuet at the controls.
The medium-range maritime surveillance model derived from the Falcon 20 G was designated HU-25 A Guardian. A total of 41 aircraft were completed in Little Rock. Seven aircraft were fitted with the “Aireye” system, designed to perform scientific and maritime environmental protection missions, particularly locating and monitoring oil spills.
Mirage 2000
First European operational jet fighter with artificial stability, exported.
The Mirage 2000, while similar in appearance to the Mirage III, was actually a brand-new aircraft. It featured a number of innovations, such as the widespread us of composite materials, fly-by-fly controls and a digital nav-attack system.
Design by Dassault using its own funds, the Mirage 2000 would give birth to a complete family of aircraft that proved their multirole capability in a wide range of missions.
Mirage 4000
First jet fighter in the world with composite fin with built-in fuel tank.
The Mirage 4000 was derived from concepts developed for the Mirage 2000. In fact, these two new aircraft were designed and built at the same time. Making its first flight in 1979, the Mirage 4000 was designed and built at Dassault’s own initiative and using its own funds, with financial and technical backing from other members of the French aviation industry.
As early as its sixth test flight, the Mirage 4000 broke the Mach 2 barrier, an exceptional achievement at the time. Its performance capabilities, based on these tests, exceeded those of all other aircraft in its class. The Mirage 4000 did not enter production, but it would contribute to the development of the new flight controls needed for the delta-canard configuration, which would later be refined for the Rafale.
ATL2
First Dassault production maritime patrol aircraft.
The ATL2 is the only maritime patrol aircraft in the world purpose-designed for a full range of missions: prevention (intelligence gathering), projection (anti-submarine warfare) and protection (at-sea rescue).
It can also be deployed in theaters of operation to carry out missions over land. The ATL-2 airframe is a joint production by a European consortium.
The major innovation on the ATL2 is a weapon system that incorporates data fusion, greatly facilitating the crew’s task by displaying the general tactical situation.
Mirage 2000 N
First French production jet fighter with automatic terrain following.
Rafale A
First technological demonstrator of a multirole jet fighter fulfilling the joint specifications of the French Air Force and Navy.
Mirage 2000-5
First French multirole jet fighter, produced and exported.
Mirage 2000 D
Penetration and deep attack production jet fighter.
Falcon 2000
First European production jet fighter with avionics comprising a modular data processing suite, exported.
Falcon 900EX EASy
First business jet in the world with enhanced avionics and intuitive cockpit, exported.
Falcon 7X
First business jet in the world equipped with a fully digital control system, exported.
First operational deployment of the Rafale Air
First operational deployment of the Rafale Air Force version.
Falcon 2000LX
Intercontinental business twinjet, EASy flight deck, exported.
Falcon 2000S
Transcontinental business twinjet, EASy II flight deck, exported.
Rafale F3-R
F3-R is an upgraded version of the F3 standard ties in with the continuous improvement approach adopted for the aircraft, based on lessons learned.
Announcement of Falcon 5X launch
Intercontinental business jet with an ultra wide cabin featuring a brand new wing, an advanced digital flight control system and a sky light window.
Future Combat Air System (FCAS)
The French and British governments award a 250 million euro contract for a feasibility study to prepare the Future Combat Air System (FCAS) to Dassault Aviation, BAE Systems and their partners. This program for an advanced unmanned combat air vehicle (UCAV) will complement the military aircraft now in service.
Falcon 8X
Intercontinental business jet ultra long range segment, new generation of EASy flight deck, Honeywell’s next-generation 3D color weather radar system with enhanced turbulence detection capability.
Rafale Egypt Contract
In February 2015, Éric Trappier, Chairman and CEO of Dassault Aviation, signs the first Rafale export contract, with Egypt, for 24 aircraft. In May 2021, the Arab Republic of Egypt announced its decision to acquire an additional 30 Rafales.
Rafale Qatar Contract
In May 2015, the government of Qatar places an order for 24 Rafales, completed in December 2017 with an additional 12 Rafales.
Falcon 2000 MRA
The Falcon 2000 MRA “Maritime Multi-Role Aircraft” is designed for surveillance, reconnaissance missions, anti-surface warfare, electronic warfare, and fleet training.
Rafale India Contract
In September 2016, New Dehli signs a contract to acquire 36 Rafales for the Indian Air Force.
MALE RPAS
Another major milestone in the European Medium Altitude Long Endurance Remotely Piloted Aircraft System (MALE RPAS) programme, in collaboration with Airbus Defence and Space and Leonardo, was attained with the achievement of the System Preliminary Design Review.
FalconEYE
Based on military technologies, this combined vision system is available on the Falcon 8X, 900LX and 2000. FalconEYE offers pilots an unprecedented combination of computer-generated and infrared images for perfect vision day or night, under any weather conditions.
Falcon 6X
Long-range twinjet with first ultra-wide-body in the world.
The Falcon 6X is the latest example of the ability to marry military-grade technology with business aviation expertise that makes Dassault Aviation so distinctive and successful. Its efficiency, performance and safety capabilities set a new benchmark in the long-range business jet segment. The Falcon 6X also sets a new standard for comfort and cabin space.
Rafale F4
The F4 standard is part of the ongoing process to continuously improve the Rafale in line with technological progress and operating experience feedback.
Falcon Archange
The Archange airborne strategic intelligence program was announced in December 2019.
Rafale Greece Contract
Greece ordered 18 Rafales (including 12 second-hand) in January 2021, and 6 more in March 2022.
New Generation Fighter (NGF)
Demonstrator for a new generation combat system developed in Franco-German-Spanish cooperation under the leadership of Dassault Aviation: phase 1A launched in February 2020, phase 1B launched in December 2022.
ATL2 Modernization
In April 2020 and May 2021, we delivered the third and fourth ATL2s that were slated for upgrading to standard 6. In September 2020, we signed the vertically-integrated Océan contract, which grants us responsibility for providing support for French ATL2s (with the exception of engines and maintenance services provided by the French Air and Space Force) for a period of ten years.
First Flight of Falcon 6X
The Falcon 6X completed its first flight on March 10, 2021, paving the way for its certification test campaign. It was rolled out on December 8, 2020, without an audience in attendance, but the event was broadcast live on the web and social networks.
Falcon 10X Reveal
Unveiled on May 6, 2021, the Falcon 10X is set to be the most spacious, comfortable and innovative business jet on the market. It will have a top speed of Mach 0.925 and a range of 7,500 nautical miles (13,890 km) and will be powered by 2 Rolls Royce Pearl 10X engines with a combined thrust of over 16,000 pounds (lbf). Its entry into service (EIS) is scheduled for late 2025.
Rafale Croatia Contract
On November 25, 2021, Croatia signed a government-to-government contract for the acquisition of 12 Rafales from the French Air and Space Force. The country also signed a three-year logistics support contract with Dassault Aviation. Croatia is the company’s fifth export customer for the Rafale, and the second in Europe to make this sovereign choice, as well as a first-time Dassault Aviation customer.
Rafale Indonesia Contract
On February 10, 2022, Indonesia signed a two-phase contract for 42 Rafales (6 plus 36). The deal provides for delivery of a comprehensive solution, including training, logistical support and offsets. Indonesia is a first-time customer for Dassault Aviation and its second Rafale customer in the Indo-Pacific region.
Falcon 6X entered service
Dassault Aviation’s Falcon 6X entered service on November 30, 2023.
Rafale France
At the end of December 2023, the French Defense Procurement Agency (DGA) awarded Dassault Aviation an order for 42 Rafale combat aircraft, known as “tranche 5”, for the French Air Force (AAE).
Rafale Serbia Contract
On August, 29, 2024, Éric Trappier and Serbian Defense Minister Bratislav Gašić signed a contract for the purchase of 12 Rafales, with the French President, Emmanuel Macron, and the Serbian President, Aleksandar Vučić, in attendance. Serbia thus joins the ranks of Dassault’s defense customers, becoming the eighth country worldwide, and the third in Europe, to acquire the Rafale.
Rafale F5 and UCAS
On October 8, 2024, Sébastien Lecornu, French Armed Forces Minister, announced the launch of the development phase of an unmanned combat air system (UCAS) intended for integration into the Rafale F5 standard after 2030. Drawing on the achievements of the nEUROn program, this system will be designed to enable collaborative combat.
Falcon Albatros maiden flight
The Falcon 2000LXS Albatros made its maiden flight at Mérignac on January 24, 2025. The Albatros will provide the French Navy with invaluable support in its search and rescue, fisheries policing, anti-pollution and anti-trafficking missions.
The contract for Falcon Albatros maritime surveillance and intervention aircraft (AVSIMAR) was announced in November 2020.
« Roll out » of the first Rafale United Arab Emirates
On January 29, 2025, took place the presentation of the first F4-standard Rafale for the United Arab Emirates, in Istres, France, in the presence of the Emirati Minister of State for Defense Affairs and the French Minister of the Armed Forces.
The United Arab Emirates purchased 80 Rafale F4s in 2021, which is the largest military export order ever secured by Dassault Aviation.
Éclair propeller
Éclair propeller
Éclair propeller
Éclair propeller
Éclair propeller
Éclair propeller
This first airplane product developed by Marcel Dassault was used on the Spad VII flown by French ace Georges Guynemer.
Simple, robust, effective and beautiful, this propeller already embodied the DNA of Dassault’s future products.
« When Guynemer’s plane, ‘Le Vieux Charles’, with its 19 victories, was presented at the Invalides as a witness to his glory, I went to see it. Naturally I saw the propeller, one I had designed and built. I felt a lot of satisfaction, and maybe just a bit of pride. »
Marcel Dassault, Aviation Magazine, May 1, 1976.
SEA IV
First production aircraft by Marcel Dassault.
At the end of 1917, the French Minister of Arms and War Production, Louis Loucheur, ordered 1,000 SEA IV planes. Marcel Bloch and Henry Potez had just won their first aircraft order. As Dassault later recalled in his memoirs, « ÀI was 26 years old and Potez was 27. It was a pretty good start. » Marcel Dassault, The Talisman
MB-60
First all-metal postal French aircraft.
During a visit to Marcel Bloch’s home in 1930, as part of his interview for a job, Henri Déplante, future chief technical officer of Dassault, was surprised to see an incomplete all metal MB-60 trimotor mail plane in the stairway.
He was won over by the chance to work with new materials, and his decision was made: « I came, I saw, I was convinced. I want to work with this young boss! »
MB-80
First French all-metal ambulance aircraft, mass-produced.
The prototype MB-80, built according to a State contract, performed its first flight at the beginning of the summer 1932 at Villacoublay, piloted by Zacharie Heu.
It was a completely metallic monoplane with low wings and equipped with a Lorraine 5 PC (120 CV engine).
It could reach a maximum speed of 190 km/h and a maximum height of 6 400 meters. Its take-off distance was 70 meters and its landing distance was 95 meters.
In autumn 1932, the MB-80 accomplished in one day and a half 209 landings flawlessly.
MB-120
First Bloch production commercial airliner, mass-produced.
The MB-120 was designed for a program requiring a multipurpose aircraft to provide services to far-flung colonies, including exploration, liaison, medical evacuation and transport, along with the ability to perform ground attack and bombing missions.
The aircraft deserved its nickname of « The Indestructible ». It flew to distant locations which offered barely any maintenance facilities or personnel, proving to be very reliable under these conditions. Used by the Air Afrique transport authority, it would be Marcel Bloch’s first successful venture in the civil aviation sector.
MB-200
First Bloch bomber ordered, mass-produced and exported.
In 1932, Marcel Bloch submitted a proposal for a French night bomber. He offered the MB-200, a fighter-bomber-reconnaissance plane derived from the MB-120 airliner, but improved and militarized. More than 200 would be produced.
It also gave Bloch his first export contract. In 1935, Czechoslovakia bought a production license for the MB-200, to be powered by a Czech engine. It would build 114 before the country was annexed by Germany in 1938.
MB-210
Bomber with a retractable gear and variable pitch propeller, produced and exported.
The Bloch MB-210, which has a family resemblance with its predecessor, the Bloch MB-200, was originally the response to a Navy requirement for a heavy torpedo bomber in 1932.
The Marcel Bloch company began working on a response to the Navy requirement in 1933, using its own funding. The MB-210 adopted the same construction principles that had been developed for the MB-200. It was an all-metal low-wing cantilever monoplane. The fuselage was built as a single assembly around four angle longerons, frames and a sheet metal skin. It had a rounded rectangular cross section. The totality of the metallic skin was stiffened by U-section stringers, giving the entire airframe its characteristic appearance.
MB-220
First Bloch production airliner, used by Air France.
The MB-220 twin-engine airliner made its first flight in 1936. It was a civilian derivative of the MB-210 bomber.
Used on Air France’s European routes, it was a very comfortable plane, holding up to 16 passengers. The MB-220 allowed Bloch, already well established in military aviation, to also become a full-fledged player in the civil aviation sector.
MB-160
First Bloch production four-engine airliner, mass-produced.
The prototype four-engined MB-160 was a direct extrapolation of the twin-engined MB-220. On 18th June 1937, André Curvale, the Bloch chief test pilot, performed its maiden flight. During the testing campaign, the prototype demonstrated that the aircraft was capable of flying with two engines shut down on the same side, and it came seventh in the Istres-Damas-Paris race in 1937.
MB-152
First mass-produced and exported Bloch fighter.
The MB-152 was a rugged aircraft, offering a very stable firing platform and excellent damage resistance.
The GC II/I fighter group organized a contest with a unit flying the Morane 406 fighter. According to one of its men, « The Bloch showed better climb performance and higher speed. So why would anyone complain? We didn’t realize what a jewel we had... »
SHAA, G7/785, fighter group GC II/I logbook.
According to official records, French air force MB-152 fighters recorded 159 victories during the Battle of France in 1940, with 94 planes being lost in combat.
MB-174
First Bloch production recce aircraft.
The Bloch MB-174 and MB-175, along with the Dewoitine D-520, were considered the best French airplanes of World War II.
On March 29, 1940, Captain Antoine de Saint-Exupéry flew one of his first wartime missions at the controls of an MB-174. That inspired his famous book, 'Pilot de guerre' ('Flight to Arras').
MD-315 Flamant
First Dassault production aircraft after World War II.
Saturday, October 4, 1947: it’s a very competitive atmosphere during flight trials at the Marignane airport, near Marseille. Three models, the Dassault Flamant MD-315, the SNCAC 701 Siebel and the SNCASO SO 94, are conducting a fly-off that will be determined by a single criterion: rate of climb. The winner earns a government order that will be decisive for the company’s future. Two days later, the Flamant is ranked “best in class”. More than 300 will be ordered, in three different versions: MD-311, 312 and 315.
The Flamant twin-engine transport would enjoy a long career. Several of these models are still being flown today by avid collectors.
MD-450 Ouragan
First French production jet fighter, exported.
Marcel Dassault quickly realized that jet fighters were the wave of the future. He started with a simple and realistic design, a first step towards more sophisticated versions.
The prototype made its first flight in 1949, and the production version was deployed by the French air force from 1952 to 1961.
It was flown by the French aerobatics team, the Patrouille de France, from 1954 to 1957. The Ouragan was also the first French military aircraft to be exported after the war, with 113 sold to India in 1953 and 24 to Israel in 1954.
MD-452 Mystère II
First French production aircraft to break the sound barrier in a dive, mass-produced.
Using the experience from the Ouragan’s first flights, Marcel Dassault managed to use a pre-production plane to improve its aerodynamic features. On February 11, 1950, he signed a contract to design and build thin-section wings that could fit an MD-450 Ouragan’s fuselage. The MD-452, later renamed Mystère, was thus born.
On October 28, Major Marion Davis flew n° 03. As opposed to French pilots, he knew the secret to directing the sound towards the public, and the much-anticipated boom was heard. Commander Roger Carpentier from the flight test center was the first Frenchman to officially break the sound barrier on December 12, 1952, in Brétigny.
Jacqueline Auriol was the first woman to do so, on August 15, 1953, in the cockpit of a Mystère II.
Mystère IV
First French production supersonic jet for the French Air Force, exported.
In 1953, just six months after the Mystère IV’s first flight, the French government placed an order for 225. The purchase was financed by the United States, which offered them to the French air force, as part of NATO’s air forces. This contract would propel Dassault into the international market.
The Mystère IV was deployed by the French air force from 1955 to 1982, and also used by the Patrouille de France aerobatics team from 1957 to 1963. At the Paris Air Show in 1957, the Patrouille de France, flying the Mystère IV, was the first aerobatics team in the world to use three-color smoke trails: blue, white, and red.
The total production count was 411, including 242 for France, 59 for Israel and 110 for India.
Étendard IV
First French production carrier-based jet fighter.
The Étendard IV M was the first time carrier-borne airplane designed by Dassault, and the first French-designed jet airplane to be deployed on the country's aircraft carriers.
Through the development of the Étendard, the company discovered the many constraints of naval operation: low-speed handling, catapult launches, deck landings, etc. The Étendard IV M made its first flight in 1958. Test flights were supervised by Serge Dassault and Roland Glavany, chief test pilot.
The French navy would order a total of 90 aircraft, including 21 in the photo reconnaissance version, Étendard IV P.
Super Mystère B2
First production supersonic aircraft with afterburner, exported.
The Super-Mystère B-2 was the first production fighter in Western Europe to go supersonic in horizontal flight at low attitude. The prototype made its first flight in 1956. Dassault and state-owned companies split the production of 180 aircraft between 1957 and 1959.
A total of 154 Super-Mystère B-2 were delivered to the French air force. It was deployed as a daytime interceptor from 1958 to 1977. Israel ordered 24 Super-Mystère B-2s in 1958.
Mirage III
First European aircraft to reach Mach 2, produced and exported.
The Mirage III multirole fighter was produced on a single final assembly line. Each customer received a baseline aircraft, and could choose from among several versions depending on the equipment to be fitted. The Mirage III and Mirage 5 remained in operational service with the French air force from 1961 to 1994.
On June, 1962, Jacqueline Auriol, at the controls of a production-standard Mirage III C, set a new world speed record for women, flying a 100-kilometer closed circuit at a speed of 1,849 kilometers per hour (1,149 mph). On June 14, 1963, she raised the record to 2,030 km/h (1,261 mph), this time flying a Mirage IIIR.
The Mirage III's combat effectiveness and its deployment by General de Gaulle as a weapon of diplomacy contributed to the plane's export success. A total of 1,401 Mirage III and derivated models Mirage 5 and Mirage 50 would be built in 80 different versions for 20 countries around the world.
Mirage IV
First production bomber for the French Strategic Air Force arm, mass-produced.
The international situation in November 1956, especially the Suez crisis, spurred a change in France’s arms policy. France officially decided to acquire nuclear capability, meaning warheads as well as the platforms needed to carry them, starting with an aircraft.
The powerful twin-engine Mirage IV 01, ordered in April 1957, made its first flight on June 17, 1959 at Melun-Villaroche, near Paris, flown by Roland Glavany. The French government decided to give Dassault full responsibility for this aircraft, including the bomb (except for the nuclear warhead), and the nav-attack system. Everything would be governed by a single decision center, under the control of the ministerial delegation for arms. This approach was employed by the government to guarantee the overall accuracy of the weapon system, and to keep the program on schedule.
The Mirage IV A entered service in October 1964. It was Europe’s first operational nuclear bomber, capable of long-range flights at speeds exceeding Mach 2. A total of 62 would be produced, and this aircraft would remain in service with the French air force until 2005.
MD-415 Communauté
Multi-mission twin-turboprop aircraft, with liaison transport and training capabilities.
The MD-415 Communauté had a pressurized fuselage and could carry about ten passengers as well as a considerable battery of weapons (two 30-mm cannons, bombs, rockets and air-to-ground missiles) for air strikes.
With its twin Turboméca Bastan turboprops, the MD-415 made its maiden flight at Bordeaux-Mérignac on May 10, 1959, piloted by Paul Boudier, Dominique Mourey and Jean Dillaire.
MD-410 Spirale
Multi-mission twin-turboprop aircraft, intended for observation and armed intervention (tactical support).
The MD-410 Spirale was a short take-off and landing aircraft, which could also carry the logistics back-up of the vertical take-off Mirages.
While keeping the wings and engines of the Communauté, the Spirale had a narrower fuselage, better suited to ground attack missions. Weighing 5.5 tonnes, it had some 90% of parts in common with the Communauté.
The Spirale nonetheless made its maiden flight at Bordeaux-Mérignac on April 8, 1960, with Paul Boudier and Gilles Brecq at the controls.
Atlantic
A high-seas reconnaissance anti-submarine aircraft with a wide operating range.
The Atlantic was an aircraft of 43t at take-off, powered by two Tyne turbo-propos of 5,500 hp, with a 12-man crew for missions lasting up to 18 hours, crossing a distance of about 8,000 km (4,300 nm) at a maximum velocity of 650 km/hr (350 knots).
The first was flown at Toulouse on October 31, 1961, piloted by Bernard Witt assisted by Romeo Zinzoni and René Périneau.
Balzac V 001
Prototype of the only vertical takeoff aircraft to have reached Mach 2 (V 02 version).
An experimental single-seater for the study and development of the vertical take-off Mirage III V, the Balzac V 001 carried neither weapons nor operational equipment.
The lift jets were to be supplied with air via four intakes situated above the fuselage, while their exhaust pipes would be situated above the fuselage, while their exhaust pipes would be situated in apertures with blanking caps which would be closed during normal raid flight.
This was the beginning of modern flight controls (absence of linkage and redundancy). Balzac V 001 was also the first aircraft to transmit flight data to the ground by telemetering.
Mystère Falcon 20
First Dassault Aviation business jet, selected by Charles Lindbergh for Pan Am, produced and exported.
Dassault packed this aircraft with the technical solutions it had tried and tested in military applications. In particular, these included the three-axis servo controls, fine-tuned aerodynamics using the day’s state-of-the-art systems, and “conical wing cambers” akin to the ones used on the Mirage and Concorde, designed by ONERA.
René Bigand took the Mystère 20 prototype on its first flight on May 4, 1963.
Mirage III V
On August 29, 1961, the DTIA ordered the design and development of two Mirage III V vertical take-off prototypes to be produced conjointly by Dassault Aviation and Sud-Aviation.
The Mirage III V, a Mach 2 aircraft heavier than the Balzac, prefigured the operational version. It had eight Rolls-Royce RB 162-1 lift jets and a Snecma TF 106 with afterburner, the French version of the Pratt&Whitney JTF 10 turbofan.
Mirage III V 01, equipped with a TF 104 b turbofan (63.7 kN of thrust with reheat) made its first stationary flight at Melun-Villaroche on February 12, 1965, piloted by René Bigand.
Mirage F1
First Dassault production jet fighter with integrated digital weapons suite, exported.
The Mirage F1, whose development was funded by Dassault and its partners, first flew in 1966. It exceeded Mach 2 on its fourth flight. The Mirage F1 was a Mach 2 fighter that could land at lower speeds than the Mirage III (125 knots), thanks to lift augmentation devices that were very difficult to incorporate on such a thin wing. Production of this aircraft was split between several partners and subcontractors: Aerospatiale, Latécoère, CASA (Spain), Fairey and SABCA (Belgium). It would be deployed by the French air force from 1973 to 2014. The Mirage F1 was also a big hit in export markets: out of the 725 built, 473 were exported to ten countries.
Mirage 5
A Mirage III derivative, the Mirage 5 is a low-altitude tactical support and patrol aircraft.
On July 9, 1965, the management of the Corporation’s General Technical Department decided on the definition of a Mirage III E with a simplified layout. This low altitude tactical support and patrol aircraft was named the Mirage 5.
In place of the radar, the nose cone was to be fitted with the electronic navigation and attack equipment, thereby providing space for extra fuel. More attachment points were provided for external loads, while the booster rocket was removed.
The Mirage 5 first flew at Melun-Villaroche on May 19, 1967, piloted by Hervé Leprince-Ringuet. A total 517 units have been produced for 11 different countries. The Mirage 5 is Dassault’s most widely exported combat aircraft.
Mirage G
Swing wing jet prototype whose G8 version reached Mach 2.34.
In just over three years, Dassault came up with the design needed to fit the wing pivot points in a fuselage. On November 18, 1967, Jean Coureau took off in the twin-seat Mirage G. It was followed by the Mirage G 8-01 and 02.
On July 1973, Jean-Marie Saget hit Mach 2.34 at the controls of the Mirage G 8-02, a speed unrivaled in Western Europe.
MD-320 Hirondelle
A light twin-engine transport (for 8 to 12 passengers), for civil and military use.
The aerodynamics of the MD-320 were derived from the Communauté and its wings from the Mystère 20. Cabin capacity and range were as for the Mystère 20. The engines were 870 hp Turboméca Astazou XIVs. Though its speed was only 270 knots – as against 430 for the Mystère 20 – it only cost half the price.
It made its maiden flight at Bordeaux-Mérignac on September 11, 1968 with Hervé Leprince-Ringuet and Jean Coureau at the controls.
Jaguar
First Dassault production jet fighter built as a cooperative venture, exported.
The first flight of the Jaguar took place on September 8, 1968 at Istres, piloted by Bernard Witt.
Falcon 10
First business jet fitted with a wing designed using 3D computer modeling, produced and exported.
The Falcon 10, whose structural design is similar to that of Dassault’s military aircraft, bore a certain family resemblance to the Mystère-Falcon 20, but it was smaller. Pan Am placed an order for this new executive jet in December 1969, a year before its first flight on December 1, 1970. Production would call on subcontractors not only in France, but also in Spain and Italy. The Falcon 10 quickly acquired a reputation as the world’s fastest business aircraft. It was capable of crossing the United States with a single stopover faster than aircraft which could fly non-stop. Pilots quickly nicknamed the Falcon 10 “The Corporate Bullet”. The third prototype (Falcon V10F) was used for tests of carbon-fiber wings. A total of 229 Falcon 10 business jets would be built.
Mercure
First jointly-built production jet airliner, exported.
The Mercure, which made its first flight in 1971, was a short/medium-haul single-aisle commercial jet with 130 to 150 seats. It featured a sophisticated design to ensure the most economical operation possible. The production of this new airplane required modified or new facilities: Martignas, Seclin, Poitiers and Istres. Production was overseen by Dassault as prime contractor, with partners and subcontractors in Italy, Spain, Switzerland, Belgium and Canada. The Mercure was the first major joint European program for a commercial airplane, heralding future large-scale partnerships such as Airbus. Air Inter deployed 11 Mercure jets, which remained in service until 1995. The Mercure logged 360,000 flight hours, carried 44 million passengers on 440,000 flights without any accidents, and posted an on-time record of 98%.
Alpha Jet
First Dassault trainer jet built as a cooperative venture, exported.
The Alpha Jet is a twin-engine, twin-seat trainer and tactical support aircraft, designed jointly by Dassault and Dornier to address the program specifications defined by the French and German air forces.
This new aircraft made its first flight in 1973. Since being commissioned in 1978, the technical design of the Alpha Jet has evolved to keep pace with progress in nav-attack systems.
Ten countries ordered more than 500 Alpha Jets, and it has been used by the Patrouille de France aerobatics team since 1981.
Super Étendard
First French carrier-based production jet fighter with modern weapons system, exported.
The French navy wanted to revamp its aircraft fleet in the early 1970s, and Dassault offered a modernized version of the Étendard IV M. The main upgrades concerned the propulsion system, wings and weapon suite. It was the first production aircraft in France to be fitted with an integrated nav-attack system. The Super Étendard made its first flight on October 28, 1974. The French navy ordered 71 of these carrier-borne fighters, with Argentina taking another 14.
Falcon 50
First business jet in the world with a supercritical wing, exported.
Hervé Leprince-Ringuet and Gérard Joyeuse took the Falcon 50’s maiden flight. It was powered by three Garrett TFE 731-3 jet engines, and flew out of Bordeaux-Mérignac on November 7, 1976.
In December 1976, the company’s authorities decided to revamp the prototype, fitting improved wings. Its first flight with the new wings took place on May 6, 1977, out of Istres, again at the hands of Hervé Leprince-Ringuet and Gérard Joyeuse. The plane proved hopes invested in the wing design to be well-founded. The Falcon 50 became the world’s first civil aircraft featuring supercritical wings, and secured certification on February 27, 1979.
Falcon Guardian
The first Falcon 20 G (n° 362), the first aircraft to be equipped with two ATF-3 turbofans, flew in Mérignac on 28 November 1977, with Hervé Leprince-Ringuet at the controls.
The medium-range maritime surveillance model derived from the Falcon 20 G was designated HU-25 A Guardian. A total of 41 aircraft were completed in Little Rock. Seven aircraft were fitted with the “Aireye” system, designed to perform scientific and maritime environmental protection missions, particularly locating and monitoring oil spills.
Mirage 2000
First European operational jet fighter with artificial stability, exported.
The Mirage 2000, while similar in appearance to the Mirage III, was actually a brand-new aircraft. It featured a number of innovations, such as the widespread us of composite materials, fly-by-fly controls and a digital nav-attack system.
Design by Dassault using its own funds, the Mirage 2000 would give birth to a complete family of aircraft that proved their multirole capability in a wide range of missions.
Mirage 4000
First jet fighter in the world with composite fin with built-in fuel tank.
The Mirage 4000 was derived from concepts developed for the Mirage 2000. In fact, these two new aircraft were designed and built at the same time. Making its first flight in 1979, the Mirage 4000 was designed and built at Dassault’s own initiative and using its own funds, with financial and technical backing from other members of the French aviation industry.
As early as its sixth test flight, the Mirage 4000 broke the Mach 2 barrier, an exceptional achievement at the time. Its performance capabilities, based on these tests, exceeded those of all other aircraft in its class. The Mirage 4000 did not enter production, but it would contribute to the development of the new flight controls needed for the delta-canard configuration, which would later be refined for the Rafale.
ATL2
First Dassault production maritime patrol aircraft.
The ATL2 is the only maritime patrol aircraft in the world purpose-designed for a full range of missions: prevention (intelligence gathering), projection (anti-submarine warfare) and protection (at-sea rescue).
It can also be deployed in theaters of operation to carry out missions over land. The ATL-2 airframe is a joint production by a European consortium.
The major innovation on the ATL2 is a weapon system that incorporates data fusion, greatly facilitating the crew’s task by displaying the general tactical situation.
Mirage 2000 N
First French production jet fighter with automatic terrain following.
Rafale A
First technological demonstrator of a multirole jet fighter fulfilling the joint specifications of the French Air Force and Navy.
Mirage 2000-5
First French multirole jet fighter, produced and exported.
Mirage 2000 D
Penetration and deep attack production jet fighter.
Falcon 2000
First European production jet fighter with avionics comprising a modular data processing suite, exported.
Falcon 900EX EASy
First business jet in the world with enhanced avionics and intuitive cockpit, exported.
Falcon 7X
First business jet in the world equipped with a fully digital control system, exported.
First operational deployment of the Rafale Air
First operational deployment of the Rafale Air Force version.
Falcon 2000LX
Intercontinental business twinjet, EASy flight deck, exported.
Falcon 2000S
Transcontinental business twinjet, EASy II flight deck, exported.
Rafale F3-R
F3-R is an upgraded version of the F3 standard ties in with the continuous improvement approach adopted for the aircraft, based on lessons learned.
Announcement of Falcon 5X launch
Intercontinental business jet with an ultra wide cabin featuring a brand new wing, an advanced digital flight control system and a sky light window.
Future Combat Air System (FCAS)
The French and British governments award a 250 million euro contract for a feasibility study to prepare the Future Combat Air System (FCAS) to Dassault Aviation, BAE Systems and their partners. This program for an advanced unmanned combat air vehicle (UCAV) will complement the military aircraft now in service.
Falcon 8X
Intercontinental business jet ultra long range segment, new generation of EASy flight deck, Honeywell’s next-generation 3D color weather radar system with enhanced turbulence detection capability.
Rafale Egypt Contract
In February 2015, Éric Trappier, Chairman and CEO of Dassault Aviation, signs the first Rafale export contract, with Egypt, for 24 aircraft. In May 2021, the Arab Republic of Egypt announced its decision to acquire an additional 30 Rafales.
Rafale Qatar Contract
In May 2015, the government of Qatar places an order for 24 Rafales, completed in December 2017 with an additional 12 Rafales.
Falcon 2000 MRA
The Falcon 2000 MRA “Maritime Multi-Role Aircraft” is designed for surveillance, reconnaissance missions, anti-surface warfare, electronic warfare, and fleet training.
Rafale India Contract
In September 2016, New Dehli signs a contract to acquire 36 Rafales for the Indian Air Force.
MALE RPAS
Another major milestone in the European Medium Altitude Long Endurance Remotely Piloted Aircraft System (MALE RPAS) programme, in collaboration with Airbus Defence and Space and Leonardo, was attained with the achievement of the System Preliminary Design Review.
FalconEYE
Based on military technologies, this combined vision system is available on the Falcon 8X, 900LX and 2000. FalconEYE offers pilots an unprecedented combination of computer-generated and infrared images for perfect vision day or night, under any weather conditions.
Falcon 6X
Long-range twinjet with first ultra-wide-body in the world.
The Falcon 6X is the latest example of the ability to marry military-grade technology with business aviation expertise that makes Dassault Aviation so distinctive and successful. Its efficiency, performance and safety capabilities set a new benchmark in the long-range business jet segment. The Falcon 6X also sets a new standard for comfort and cabin space.
Rafale F4
The F4 standard is part of the ongoing process to continuously improve the Rafale in line with technological progress and operating experience feedback.
Falcon Archange
The Archange airborne strategic intelligence program was announced in December 2019.
Rafale Greece Contract
Greece ordered 18 Rafales (including 12 second-hand) in January 2021, and 6 more in March 2022.
New Generation Fighter (NGF)
Demonstrator for a new generation combat system developed in Franco-German-Spanish cooperation under the leadership of Dassault Aviation: phase 1A launched in February 2020, phase 1B launched in December 2022.
ATL2 Modernization
In April 2020 and May 2021, we delivered the third and fourth ATL2s that were slated for upgrading to standard 6. In September 2020, we signed the vertically-integrated Océan contract, which grants us responsibility for providing support for French ATL2s (with the exception of engines and maintenance services provided by the French Air and Space Force) for a period of ten years.
First Flight of Falcon 6X
The Falcon 6X completed its first flight on March 10, 2021, paving the way for its certification test campaign. It was rolled out on December 8, 2020, without an audience in attendance, but the event was broadcast live on the web and social networks.
Falcon 10X Reveal
Unveiled on May 6, 2021, the Falcon 10X is set to be the most spacious, comfortable and innovative business jet on the market. It will have a top speed of Mach 0.925 and a range of 7,500 nautical miles (13,890 km) and will be powered by 2 Rolls Royce Pearl 10X engines with a combined thrust of over 16,000 pounds (lbf). Its entry into service (EIS) is scheduled for late 2025.
Rafale Croatia Contract
On November 25, 2021, Croatia signed a government-to-government contract for the acquisition of 12 Rafales from the French Air and Space Force. The country also signed a three-year logistics support contract with Dassault Aviation. Croatia is the company’s fifth export customer for the Rafale, and the second in Europe to make this sovereign choice, as well as a first-time Dassault Aviation customer.
Rafale Indonesia Contract
On February 10, 2022, Indonesia signed a two-phase contract for 42 Rafales (6 plus 36). The deal provides for delivery of a comprehensive solution, including training, logistical support and offsets. Indonesia is a first-time customer for Dassault Aviation and its second Rafale customer in the Indo-Pacific region.
Falcon 6X entered service
Dassault Aviation’s Falcon 6X entered service on November 30, 2023.
Rafale France
At the end of December 2023, the French Defense Procurement Agency (DGA) awarded Dassault Aviation an order for 42 Rafale combat aircraft, known as “tranche 5”, for the French Air Force (AAE).
Rafale Serbia Contract
On August, 29, 2024, Éric Trappier and Serbian Defense Minister Bratislav Gašić signed a contract for the purchase of 12 Rafales, with the French President, Emmanuel Macron, and the Serbian President, Aleksandar Vučić, in attendance. Serbia thus joins the ranks of Dassault’s defense customers, becoming the eighth country worldwide, and the third in Europe, to acquire the Rafale.
Rafale F5 and UCAS
On October 8, 2024, Sébastien Lecornu, French Armed Forces Minister, announced the launch of the development phase of an unmanned combat air system (UCAS) intended for integration into the Rafale F5 standard after 2030. Drawing on the achievements of the nEUROn program, this system will be designed to enable collaborative combat.
Falcon Albatros maiden flight
The Falcon 2000LXS Albatros made its maiden flight at Mérignac on January 24, 2025. The Albatros will provide the French Navy with invaluable support in its search and rescue, fisheries policing, anti-pollution and anti-trafficking missions.
The contract for Falcon Albatros maritime surveillance and intervention aircraft (AVSIMAR) was announced in November 2020.
« Roll out » of the first Rafale United Arab Emirates
On January 29, 2025, took place the presentation of the first F4-standard Rafale for the United Arab Emirates, in Istres, France, in the presence of the Emirati Minister of State for Defense Affairs and the French Minister of the Armed Forces.
The United Arab Emirates purchased 80 Rafale F4s in 2021, which is the largest military export order ever secured by Dassault Aviation.
