Dassault Aviation

History

The Société des Avions Marcel Bloch was founded by Marcel Bloch in 1929. In 1935 Bloch and Henry Potez entered into an agreement to buy Société Aérienne Bordelaise (SAB), subsequently renamed Société Aéronautique du Sud-Ouest. In 1936 the arms industry in France was nationalised as the Société Nationale de Constructions Aéronautiques du Sud Ouest (SNCASO). Marcel Bloch was asked to act as delegated administrator of the Minister for Air. During the occupation of France by Nazi Germany the country's aviation industry was virtually disbanded. Marcel Bloch, being Jewish, was imprisoned by the Vichy government in October 1940. In 1944, Bloch, French Jewish individual, was deported to the Buchenwald concentration camp by the German occupiers where he remained until it was liberated on 11 April 1945.

On 10 November 1945, at an extraordinary general meeting of the Société Anonyme des Avions Marcel Bloch the company voted to change its form to a limited liability entity, Société des Avions Marcel Bloch, which was to be a holding company. On 20 January 1947 Société des Avions Marcel Bloch became Société des Avions Marcel Dassault to reflect the name adopted by Marcel Bloch's brother (Darius Paul Dassault) while being active in the French Resistance.

In 1954, Dassault established an electronics division (by 1962 named Electronique Marcel Dassault), the first action of which was to begin the development of airborne radars, soon followed by seeker heads for air-to-air missiles, navigation, and bombing aids. From the 1950s to late 1970s exports become a major part of Dassault's business; major successes were the Dassault Mirage series and the Mystere-Falcon.

In 1965 and 1966, the French government stressed to its various defense suppliers the need to specialize to maintain viable companies. Dassault was to specialise in combat and business aircraft, Nord Aviation in ballistic missiles and Sud Aviation civil and military transport aircraft and helicopters. (Nord Aviation and Sud Aviation would merge in 1970 to form Aérospatiale which would itself later merge with 2 other firms and become EADS (now Airbus).)

On 27 June 1967, Dassault (at the urging of the French government) acquired 66% of Breguet Aviation. Under the merger deal Société des Avions Marcel Dassault was dissolved on 14 December 1971, with its assets vested in Breguet, to be renamed Avions Marcel Dassault-Breguet Aviation (AMD-BA).

Subsidiaries

Sogitec, a wholly owned subsidiary of Dassault, makes advanced avionics simulation, 3D imaging, military flight simulators, and document imaging systems.

Products

Military

Breguet family See main article: Dassault Breguet

MD 315 Flamant, 1947

MD 450 Ouragan, 1951

Mystère, 1951

MD 452 Mystère I, II, III (a one-off MD-452 nightfighter), 1951

MD 454 Mystère IV, 1952

Super Mystère, 1955

MMD 550 Mystère-Delta, 1955 prototype

Étendard, 1956

Étendard II, 1956

Étendard IV, 1958

Super Étendard, 1974

Mirage series:

Mirage III, 1956

Mirage IV (strategic bomber), 1959

Mirage IIIV, (1965–1966)

Mirage 5, 1967

Mirage F1, 1966

Mirage F2, 1966 (Prototype)

Mirage G, 1967

Mirage G-4/G-8, 1971

Mirage 2000, 1978

Mirage 2000N/2000D 1986

Mirage 4000, 1979 (Prototype)

Mirage 50, 1979

Mirage III NG, 1982

Civilian

Breguet family See main article: Dassault Breguet

Falcon family

Falcon 10 (Falcon 100 Upgraded Version)

Falcon 20 (Falcon 200 upgraded version)

Falcon 30 (Mystère 30) (30-seat airliner prototype)

Falcon 40 (Mystère 40) (40-seat airliner proposal)

Falcon 50

Falcon 900

Falcon 2000

Falcon 6X

Falcon 7X (originally Falcon FNX)

Falcon 8X

Falcon 10X (in development)

Mercure – The only commercial airliner that ever flew made directly by Dassault Aviation. Designed to compete with Boeing 737. Only 12 units ever built.

Communauté – Only 1 prototype was built.

Facilities and offices

Production

St. Cloud – c. 1938 former engine and fighter plant now heavy-duty simulation systems, and technical branch headquarters

Argenteuil - c. 1952

Biarritz – acquired Breguet plant 1971

Merignac - c. 1947

Talence - operating from 1939 to 1947

Lorraine – c. 1951 as rented facility before moved to Argenteuil

Nagpur – a Joint Venture with Reliance Aerostructure Limited (a subsidiary of Reliance Infrastructure) – operating as Dassault Reliance Aerospace Limited (DRAL) – at MIHAN at Nagpur airport, Maharashtra, India. As of 2025, the facility supplies parts for Dassault Falcon family and Dassault Rafale.

The facility was established in 2017, operations began later that year with the setting up of a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility at MIHAN, the first Falcon 2000 front section was delivered in 2019. By 2025, 100 major components are sourced from the facility and on 18 June, during the Paris Air Show, it was announced that the facility will be the first outside France to host the final assembly line of Dassault Falcon 2000LXS variant and the Center of Excellence (CoE) for Falcon series, including Falcon 6X and Falcon 8X programs. The first Falcon 2000 aircraft from the Indian facility is expected to take its first flight in 2028.

On 5 September 2025, Reuters reported that the company will sell 2% of its share in DRAL to Dassault. The transaction, worth ₹1.76 billion (US$18 million), will give up the majority stake of the joint venture to the latter. The deal is expected to be closed by 1 November.

Service Facilities

United States, France, China, Brazil

Noida : Dassault Aviation is setting up a Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) facility in India under a subsidiary of Dassault Aviation Maintenance Repair Overhaul India (DAMROI) for Dassault Mirage 2000 and Dassault Rafale fleet of the Indian Air Force as well as that of the Indonesian Air Force. SEPECAT Jaguar can also be provided service if required though the fleet is nearing the end of its service.

Sales Offices

China, Greece, Malaysia, Oman, Russia, Taiwan, United States, France, India

DAS Network

Paraguay and United States