Minister Says Dassault to Continue Strategic Role in French Defense

Dassault Will Continue to Play Strategic Role: French Defense Minister

(Source: Defense-Aerospace.com; posted May 29, 2018)

Serge Dassault died yesterday afternoon in his Paris office, aged 93. Son of the founder of Dassault Aviation, he was also a conservative politician and owner of the Paris daily Le Figaro. (DA photo)

PARIS --- The Dassault company will continue to play a strategic role for the French armed forces, French defense minister Florence Parly said on Tuesday, following the death of Serge Dassault, CEO of the eponymous industrial group that includes Dassault Aviation, Dassault Systèmes and a 24.9% stake in electronics giant Thales.

“This is a company which the state cannot ignore,” Parly told the Public Senat channel in an interview. “On the contrary, it plays a very strategic role for the ministry that I lead… We all know Dassault Aviation, especially at the Ministry of the Armed Forces, since we fly a lot of Dassault planes, the Mirages, and now the Rafales."

Parly also said the French government would keep a close eye on the succession plans.

“It's up to the family and the shareholders to decide," says Florence Parly. "Of course, the state will be very present and will closely follow the evolution of these discussions.

Serge Dassault was chairman of the Dassault Group, which owns diverse interests ranging from real estate to winemaking in addition to aviation and software, and whose chief executive, Charles Edelstenne, is a former CEO of Dassault Aviation.

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Passing of Mr. Serge Dassault

(Source: French Armed Forces Ministry; issued May 28, 2018)

(Unofficial translation by Defense-Aerospace.com)

France is losing today a great captain of industry. For more than half a century, Serge Dassault has worked for the success of French aeronautics and has enabled our services to operate the best aircraft.

Dassault Aviation has designed some of the most innovative and efficient aircraft and aircraft equipment, which demonstrate their operational effectiveness every day, and contribute to the excellence of our forces.

Florence Parly, Minister of the Armed Forces, sends her thoughts and condolences to the family and relations of Serge Dassault.

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Serge Dassault

(Source: Dassault Aviation; issued May 28, 2018)

SAINT-CLOUD, France --- It is with an infinite sadness that we learn of the death of Mr. Serge Dassault, Chairman and CEO of Groupe Dassault, and the former Chairman and CEO of Dassault Aviation.

Dassault Aviation’s management, engineers, technicians, employees and workers all send their deepest and most sincere condolences to Mrs. Dassault, her children and grandchildren.

With over 10,000 military and civil aircraft delivered in more than 90 countries over the last century, Dassault Aviation has built up expertise recognized worldwide in the design, development, sale and support of all types of aircraft, ranging from the Rafale fighter, to the high-end Falcon family of business jets and military drones. In 2017, Dassault Aviation reported revenues of €4.8 billion. The company has 11,400 employees.

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