Dassault Aviation Sales Down 20%, Rafale Orders Steady

Dassault Aviation has recorded a 20% downfall in sales last year.  

However, the manufacturer of the Rafale fighters and Falcon business jets announced an increase of 11% in order intake in 2014, bringing its backlog 8.22 billion Euros.

"The figure of 2014 consolidated sales of 3,680 million euros, against 4.593 million euros in 2013," Dassault Aviation said in a press statement.

"66 new Falcons were delivered in 2014 against 77 in 2013. 11 Rafale were delivered in 2014, as in 2013," the group added.

France is expecting to close the deal of 126 Rafale fighters with India before Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi visits France and Germany in April.

Egypt is also hoping to buy 20 Rafales under a 5 to 6 billion Euro contract, La Tribune newspaper reported during the French delegation of the Treasury visit to Cairo last week. If the deal goes through, it would be the third success for Dassault after India and Qatar.