As its first all-new business jet in 30 years, the Falcon 7X, flies the skies above Le Bourget, Dassault Aviation chairman and chief executive Charles Edelstenne paints a robust picture of France's sole remaining independent manufacturer of civil and combat aircraft.
"Thanks to our flexibility we've emerged unscathed from the trough period of 2003 and are now positioned to take advantage of the upturn in the aerospace sector", he says. He admits, however, that Dassault is being hit by the weakness of the US dollar against the Euro "which will continue to drag on our profitability in 2005 and beyond".
The Falcon 7X is taking centre stage at Paris, and Dassault is also showing the Falcon 900EX, Falcon 2000EX, Rafale C, Rafale M and Mirage 2000-5 AAF, as well as a full-sized prototype of the Neuron unmanned combat air vehicle (UCAV), due to be unveiled in front of French president Jacques Chirac on Monday. Dassault is leading a European team on development of the Neuron technology demonstrator, expected to fly at the end of 2009.
The Dassault Aviation Group saw sales for the first quarter of 2005 drop by Euros 188 million ($228m), the result, says Edelstenne, of "the dollar effect coinciding with a drop in civilian aircraft prices which began during the recent crisis years".
Dassault Aviation took orders for 69 Falcons in 2004 against 40 in 2003, with an upturn towards the end of 2004 - 41 were sold in the second half of the year. At the end of the year, Dassault also received from the French Government the long-awaited order for a further 59 Rafale combat aircraft, bringing the total ordered to 120.
Edelstenne remains bullish about sales prospects for the Rafale, which still has no export orders. "We believe we can retain our historical 15% share of the export market. The Russians have more or less disappeared and so the US is the main player. Our position is that of an alternative supplier".
The remaining market has to be competed with the Eurofighter "which means our share will be reduced". He insists the Rafale is winning high points in the competitions held to date. "In the Netherlands competition we were ranked at 695 points against 697 for the Joint Strike Fighter and 580 for the Eurofighter". Edelstenne remains "fairly optimistic" for the Rafale in the Singapore competition.
JULIAN MOXON
Source: Flight Daily News
