The Indian government has announced its choice of the Rafale Marine for use by the Indian Navy, following a successful competitive test campaign in the country. Ultimately, the 26 Rafale Marine fighters to be delivered to the Indian Navy would join the 36 Rafales already in service with the Indian Air Force. India is the first country outside France to have decided to field both versions of the Rafale.
At the end of December 2023, the French defense procurement agency (DGA) placed an order with Dassault Aviation for 42 Rafales (otherwise known as Tranche 5) for the French Air and Space Force. “We are fully focused and committed to applying our expertise as a prime contractor and supplier of complex systems to safeguard our country’s sovereignty,” said Eric Trappier following the announcement. “France’s position as a nation with a sovereign military industrial base makes it an exception in Europe. This industrial sovereignty underpins the superiority of our air force. It is also an asset when it comes to diplomatic and economic influence in export markets.” France’s total orders since the start of the program, up to and including Tranche 5, stand at 234 Rafales.
In January 2024, the third and final tranche (18 aircraft) of the Indonesian Rafale contract came into effect, bringing the Indonesian National Air Force’s confirmed overall order to 42 fighters (first tranche of 6 aircraft in 2022, second tranche of 18 aircraft in 2023). Indonesia is a first‑time military customer and our second Rafale customer in the Indo-Pacific region.
The Falcon 6X entered service in November 2023, after its joint certification in August by the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Its spacious cabin sets a new standard of comfort for aircraft capable of flying non‑stop for more than 12 hours.
This success was a fitting climax to a year in which the Falcon family celebrated a milestone anniversary: sixty years since the Mystère 20’s first flight in May 1963. Since then, we have launched 25 Falcon models and delivered more than 2,700 aircraft.
Our global business jet support network has expanded to include over 60 maintenance centers. In 2023, our latest center opened in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Three further facilities are scheduled to open in 2024 and 2025: Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia, São Paulo in Brazil and Melbourne in Florida. One of the company’s major maintenance facilities, Melbourne will have the capacity to handle up to 18 Falcon jets simultaneously.
Dassault Aviation is playing its part in the development of the Indian supply chain, by expanding its network of local partners and qualifying major new subcontractors. In early 2024, contracts were signed with Indian companies Dynamatic (for the manufacture of the Falcon 6X T5 section fuel tank and the supply of primary parts) and Aerolloy, a subsidiary of the PTC Group (for development of a titanium foundry).
Meanwhile, we are pursuing our training and local skills development initiatives: the engineering center in Pune is fully operational, and the Dassault Skill Academy, which introduced the Aeronautical Structure and Equipment Fitter diploma program in the state of Maharashtra, is in the process of expanding it to the state of Uttar Pradesh.
Lastly, Dassault Reliance Aviation Limited (DRAL) is continuing its operations, in particular the production of T12 and T4 sections of the Falcon 2000.
In 2023, Dassault Aviation successfully completed a number of projects, specifically in preparation for the introduction of the Falcon 10X: a building to house the 10X simulator, in Istres; a building devoted to wing box systems, in Martignas; and refitting of the buildings where final assembly and special projects will take place, in Mérignac. We are also continuing construction work on our new Cergy plant, which is slated for completion in 2024.
In 2023, Dassault Aviation Group hired 1,947 employees, including more than 200 apprentices, despite a tight job market in the aerospace sector.
Dassault Aviation is ranked sixth, across all categories, in Statista’s ranking of France’s top 500 employers, and first in the Aerospace, Rail and Naval category.
For the past decade, Dassault Aviation has been ranked by students and graduates as one of the top 10 companies to work for. In the Universum 2023 ranking of the 130 most attractive employers among engineering school students in all fields, we came in among the top five; in addition, we were ranked in the top three most popular manufacturing companies among engineering students and graduates, according to an Epoka survey, based on a sample of 15,000 students and graduates.
On February 1, 2024, Dassault Aviation and the ADP Group announced a five‑year agreement to step up their efforts to reduce carbon emissions at Paris-Le Bourget airport.
Dassault Aviation was included in the Financial Times’ Europe’s Climate Leaders 2023 rankings of the top 300 European companies. This list features the companies that have made the greatest efforts to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions.
FalconWays, an innovative tool for optimizing flight plans to reduce kerosene consumption and CO₂ emissions, was awarded the Aviation Week Laureate Award in November 2023.
In addition, Dassault Aviation has become a major corporate sponsor of the Maubuisson forest in the Val-d’Oise department of France.
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