Support from the Ministry of the French Armed Forces for the development of Dassault Aviation’s VORTEX spaceplane demonstrator
(Saint-Cloud, June 20, 2025) – At the Paris Air Show today, Sébastien Lecornu, Minister of the French Armed Forces, and Eric Trappier, Chairman and CEO of Dassault Aviation, announced the signing of an agreement to support the development of a spaceplane demonstrator.
This demonstrator represents the first step in an incremental and intrinsically dual roadmap for the development of a family of spaceplanes called VORTEX (Véhicule Orbital Réutilisable de Transport et d’Exploration).
In line with its key role in national aeronautical sovereignty, Dassault Aviation is building this roadmap to contribute to the development of key strategic capabilities and meet the new challenges of the space economy. It addresses multiple applications, including transport to and from orbit, and civil and military missions for an autonomous orbital platform.
Drawing on Dassault Aviation’s solid and recognised industrial expertise as an architect and integrator of complex airborne systems, reinforced by that acquired in the space sector on such emblematic projects as Hermès, the X-38 and the IXV, this demonstrator aims to validate the critical performances associated with the configuration of a spaceplane, in particular control of hypersonic flight, advanced thermal protection technologies and flight control. These demonstration objectives are an essential step in reducing technological uncertainties and preparing for future decisions on operational space capabilities, both military and civilian.
By adopting an agile innovation approach aimed at accelerating the maturation of critical technologies and disruptive concepts, Dassault Aviation is embracing the spirit of NewSpace, optimizing industrial processes and seeking the optimum balance between technical performance, development time, risk mitigation and cost efficiency.
“Like Dassault Aviation’s civil and military aircraft, the VORTEX spaceplane is designed to be highly versatile. It will contribute to transforming the uses of the space sector and opening up new fields of application. At the crossroads of aviation and space technologies, the VORTEX will undoubtedly pave the way for a new generation of space aeronautics, consolidating France’s strategic position as a leading space power. Dassault Aviation is proud to take on this historic challenge and thanks the French Ministry of Armed Forces for its confidence.” said Eric Trappier.
ABOUT DASSAULT AVIATION:
With over 10,000 military and civil aircraft (including 2,700 Falcons) delivered in more than 90 countries over the last century, Dassault Aviation has built up expertise recognized worldwide in the design, production, sale and support of all types of aircraft, ranging from the Rafale fighter, to the high-end Falcon family of business jets, military drones and space systems. In 2024, Dassault Aviation reported revenues of €6.2 billion. The company has 14,600 employees. dassault-aviation.com
Stéphane Fort
+33 (0)1 47 11 86 90
stephane.fort@dassault-aviation.com
Mathieu Durand
+33 (0)1 47 11 85 88
mathieu.durand@dassault-aviation.com
Nathalie Bakhos
+33 (0)1 47 11 84 12
nathalie-beatrice.bakhos@dassault-aviation.com
