Dassault Aviation –Upbeat about the Future

Statement of Éric Trappier, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Dassault Aviation

Question: What was the most exciting development for Dassault Aviation in 2022?

Answer: 2022 will go down as a record year for Dassault in terms of new orders: an all-time high of 21 billion euros. This figure represents 64 Falcons and 92 Rafales, 80 of which were ordered by the United Arab Emirates, in what is the largest contract ever secured by Dassault Aviation. Our order book now stands at 35 billion euros, another all-time high, which amounts to a total of 251 aircraft: 87 Falcons and 164 Rafales. This means we can plan ahead for the next 10 years, which is a rare and enviable outlook in the aviation industry. We will be manufacturing 35 Falcons and 15 Rafales in 2023. This may seem like a low figure, considering the magnitude of the orders mentioned above, but it is important to remember that, on account of the production cycle, it takes at least three years from the time a contract comes into effect until the first aircraft are delivered. Thereafter, we are aiming for a production rate of three aircraft per month. To achieve this ramp-up,we are actively recruiting new employees, on top of the 1,560 we hired in 2022. We are also working to secure our industrial ecosystem in the face of the fallout from the war in Ukraine: issues such as energy, raw materials, components and inflation are affecting a supply chain that was already underpressure due to the Covid crisis.

Question: What is happening in terms of civil aviation?

Answer: As far as business aviation is concerned, we have had to deal with cancellations by Russian customers, as well as a number of support issues and supply chain problems. As a result, our 2022 deliveries are slightly under target. On the other hand, sales have made good progress, with 64 aircraft sold, up from 51 in 2021. The Falcon 6X is scheduled to be certified and to enter into service in 2023. As for the Falcon 10X, our future flagship, its development still has several years to go. These two business jets make us really upbeat about the future. They address our current customers’ needs and are sure to attract

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