France's Dassault says hopes for Rafale F5 contract by end-year

Airbus SE

Today 09:21

    PARIS, July 1 (Reuters) - The head of Dassault Aviation AM.PA said on Wednesday he hoped to receive a development contract for the planemakeer's upcoming Rafale F5 fighter version by the end of the year.
"We are studying the F5 with our partners now, which should entail a development contract by the end of the year, if we want to maintain our schedule," CEO Eric Trappier said.
Trappier was speaking to a French Senate panel in his first formal comments since Germany and France last month scrapped a project to build a new-generation fighter following industrial disputes between Dassault and its main partner Airbus AIR.PA.
     

 (Reporting by Florence Loeve, Tim Hepher;Editing by Elaine Hardcastle)
 ((tim.hepher@thomsonreuters.com; +33 1 49 49 54 52; Reuters Messaging: tim.hepher.thomsonreuters@reuters.net/))