What ? No Rafale for French Air Force ?

[B777LR]

Beautiful project!  Though I doubt Dassault would willingly associate with another company, especially to promote a design that wasn't theirs... 

+1

Never Dassault will work with another company. I think that "SAAB Griffon C" sounds better. But sometime, it's necessary to have a dream 

The nEUROn is 50% Dassault, 25% SAAB and some Spanish, French, Swiss and Greek companies share the remainder

[PolluxDeltaSeven]

Like B787 said, Dassault's actually working with SAAB on an UCAV project.

We could imagine an agreement between Dassault and Saab in the 1980's in order to develop joint programs: Saab will direct the light fighter program (as French government chose not to invest in a larger twin-engine fighter for the moment) while Dassault will work on the future unmanned combat aircraft slightly larger than the Neuron (maybe something that could look like a stealth unmanned Rafale??)
That could give a very different industrial landscap today in Europe, with the Dassault-Saab joint venture one one side, EADS-Eurofighter on the other one.

Just a possible idea of backstory by the way

[Stargazer]

I believe that the only reason why Dassault has reluctantly associated itself with other European companies is that is no longer the master of its own destiny, having been integrated into the Aerospatiale group of companies though it continues to function as a separate entity. At the time when Marcel Dassault was still around, there is NO WAY he would have allowed such an association to happen...

[Slerski]

But "Tonton Marcel" is away, with Mirages and other Ouragans...

[PolluxDeltaSeven]

Maybe...
Tonton Marcel was a very powerfull man, but if the French government said "no money for new plane development", be sure he will sign for a collaboration anytime!
If there is one thing more important for Marcel than its ego, it surely was its bank account! 


But whatever, it's whatif world, we can do whatever we want! 

[Slerski]

So here we are...

This is the SAAB-Dassault Griffon C01 prototype, as seen during a "Campagne de Tir" (Weapons Test campaign) at BA120 Cazaux in August 1994. Black paint with 01.030 "Alsace" squadron insignia ( I'm Alsatian and this sqaudron is one of my favourites), two GBU-12 (but no designation pod !? ) and only one MICA-EM, showing the aircraft ability to fly in assymetric weapons configuration.

[NARSES2]

Ooooh thats nice