Dassault and IAI in talks on future project partnerships

Israeli company keen to leverage experience with Gulfstream and other business jets

Dassault is talking to Israel Aerospace Industries about co-operation on future business jet programmes, as the French airframer looks to extend its risk-sharing partnerships.

The Israeli business - which builds rival Gulfstream's smaller aircraft, the G150 and G200 - is keen to leveerage its experience in designing and manufacturing fuselage sections to a wider market, and sees business aviation as a big opportunity. IAI has been building business jets since the late 1960s, and past products include the Jet Commander and Westwind. Before its 2001 partnership with Gulfstream, it sold the G200 as the Galaxy and built the G150's predecessor, the G100, as the Astra.

Yair Ramati, vice-president of marketing for IAI, says the company is in discussions with Dassault, adding: "We can take part in design work and in the manufacture of fuselage sections. Our capabilities are proven."

Although Latécoère of France and Italy's Alenia build the aft fuselage sections of the Falcon 900 and 2000EX respectively, Dassault has traditionally retained much of its design and manufacturing in-house. However, for its latest long-range trijet, the 7X, it has created a much-wider team of mostly European partners, including EADS Socata, Latécoère and Sonaca.

Dassault confirms "discussions have been held with IAI and other partners about manufacturing issues, but no decisions have been made".

Source: Flight International