Egypt acquires 30 additional Rafale fighters
Egypt has decided to purchase an additional 30 Rafales to equip its air force. This new order complements the first acquisition of 24 Rafales signed on February 2015 and will bring the number of Rafales flying under Egyptian colours to 54, making the Egyptian Air Force the second in the world after the French Air Force, to operate such a fleet of Rafales. It reflects the strategic relation between Egypt and France. It emphasises also the confidence of the highest Egyptian authorities in Dassault Aviation and their satisfaction with the effective execution of the first contract. “This new order is proof of the unfailing bond that unites Egypt, the first foreign user of the Rafale, as it was for the Mirage 2000, with Dassault Aviation for nearly 50 years. It is also a tribute to the Rafale’s operational quality, as this is the second time an export customer has chosen to order additional aircraft. Dassault Aviation and its partners would like to thank the Egyptian authorities for this new mark of trust and assure them of their total commitment to meeting their expectations once again”, stated Eric Trappier, Chairman and CEO of Dassault Aviation.
Croatia selects the Rafale
Croatia has selected the Rafale for its Air Force, following an international call for tenders as part of its Multi-Role Fighter Aircraft (MRFA) programme. The contract between the French and Croatian authorities will cover the acquisition of 12 Rafale previously in service with the French Air Force, as well as fleet support and training. “Dassault Aviation and its partners are delighted with the choice of Croatia as a first-time user of a ‘Dassault aircraft’ and the fifth Rafale export customer, and thank the Croatian authorities for their confidence. They commend the work done by the ‘France’ team in the frame of the call for tenders and actively support the French authorities in finalising the signature of this contract”, stated company officials.
Dassault Aviation launches Falcon 10X
Dassault Aviation today announced an all-new Falcon jet that will deliver a level of comfort, versatility and technology unmatched by any purpose-built business jet. Featuring a range of 7,500 nautical miles, the Falcon 10X will fly nonstop from New York to Shanghai, Los Angeles to Sydney, Hong Kong to New York or Paris to Santiago. Top speed will be Mach 0.925. “Today we are introducing a new benchmark in business aviation,” said Dassault Chairman and CEO Eric Trappier. “The Falcon 10X will offer an unrivalled passenger experience over both short-and long-duration flights, along with breakthrough safety features from Dassault’s frontline fighter technology. We have optimized every aspect of the aircraft with the passenger in mind and established a new level of capability for ultra-long-range aircraft.” The Falcon 10X will enter service at the end of 2025.
Third Falcon 6X joins test programme
A third Falcon 6X recently took flight and joined Dassault Aviation’s flight test campaign, moving the new long-range extra widebody twin a step closer to anticipated certification in 2022. Falcon 6X s/n 003 is fitted with a full interior and will be used for cabin design validation. The aircraft completed a two-hour maiden flight from Dassault’s Bordeaux-Mérignac final assembly plant to its Istres flight test facility on 24 June, climbing to Flight Level 400 and accelerating to a cruise speed of Mach 0.85. The first 6X flew on March 10 and the second on April 30. The two test aircraft have accumulated more than 130 flight test hours, at a rate of two to three flights a week, and envelope expansion is now nearly complete. “This latest flight is yet another sign of the smooth progress we have been making with the 6X test programme,” stated Eric Trappier, Chairman and CEO of Dassault Aviation. “We have been consistently impressed with the flight performance and handling of the 6X and the reliability of aircraft systems.” Aircraft no. 3 is outfitted with the Falcon 6X’s award winning interior, including in-flight entertainment and communications systems. In addition to testing this equipment, the aircraft will be used to evaluate environmental features and temperature control and validate cabin acoustics systems, which alongside those on the ultra long-range Falcon 8X trijet are expected to be the industry reference. A fourth aircraft will also be equipped with a full cabin interior, currently being installed in Mérignac. It will conduct a two-month global endurance flight campaign intended to ensure that all 6X systems are fully mature upon entry into service. Production of additional units is in full swing, with aircraft no. 10 scheduled to be on the final assembly line by beginning of July.
