Dassault aircraft deliveries rise

Dassault Aviation delivered 55 airplanes in 2021, up from 47 the year before, the French aerospace manufacturer announced on 6 January.

Dassault provided 25 Rafale multirole fighters to export customers in 2021, which met expectations and was up from 13 the previous year. The company also delivered 30 Falcon business jets, up five from an earlier forecast but down four from the previous year.

Dassault received orders for 49 Rafales and 51 Falcons in 2021, up from zero and 15, respectively, from the year before. The company attributed its low 2020 order intake to economic uncertainty and travel restrictions spurred by the Covid-19 pandemic.

The 2021 Rafale order figure consisted of 37 aircraft for export and 12 for France. The United Arab Emirates’ signing of a contract in December 2021 to buy 80 Rafales is not included. Dassault gave no reason for the omission.

Dassault’s backlog stood at 86 Rafales and 55 Falcons at the end of 2021, up from 62 Rafales and 34 Falcons a year earlier.