During a 2012 that opened with its Rafale winning India's long-contested fighter competition, Dassault Aviation enjoyed rising fortunes on both the military and business jet sides of the operation. Sales rose 19% to €3.94 billion ($5.12 billion) and operating profit gained 45% to €547 million on higher sales and better currency hedging.
But while Rafale deliveries held steady at 11 units and negotiations between France and India continue over an export deal that could add 126 aircraft to the orderbook, the most encouraging result from Dassault in 2012 was probably the continued recovery of its Falcon division, which was hit by the business jet market collapse during the 2008-2009 financial crisis. Sales rose nearly 16% to €2.8 billion and orders jumped to 58 jets in 2012, from 36 in 2011, following a net negative nine orders in 2010 and negative 163 in 2009. The scale of that market collapse is evident in Dassault's 2008 Falcon order count of 115.
|
The full article is exclusively available to read for FG Club members.
(n.b. Pro users can sign into the FG Club with their existing details) |