Dassault CEO Wary of U.S. Tariff Effects
Impact could touch 1,700 employees at company’s Little Rock, Arkansas, facilities.
[Credit: Dassault Aviation]
In a press conference Wednesday, Dassault Aviation chairman and CEO Eric Trappier described impending U.S. tariffs on the European Union (EU) as a “most concerning” geopolitical development.
President Donald Trump has said he intends to impose 25 percent tariffs on EU imports, which would include French-made Falcon business jets.
The tariffs could cut deeply into Dassault Falcon’s U.S. presence, most notably completions and service facilities in Little Rock, Arkansas. The complex, which has been a Dassault-owned business entity for 50 years, currently employs 1,700 workers spanning two separate sites.
It’s unclear if the tariffs would also impact employment at the Teterboro, New Jersey, headquarters of Dassault’s Falcon Jet business aviation division.
Between its civilian and military arm, which produces the Rafale fighter, Dassault Aviation realized $11.74 billion in orders last year, up from $8.91 billion in 2023. Dassault’s business aviation division projected deliveries of 40 Falcon jets this year, but Trappier expressed concern that proposed tariffs could compromise that target. Dassault delivered 31 Falcons in 2023 and 26 the year before.
Editor’s Note: This article first appeared on AVweb.
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