What is driving Dassault’s demand?

The reports have emerged as bids for the project’s Phase 2, involving building and flying a demonstrator aircraft, are yet to be announced, raising consternation within the defense companies and their respected capitals. French reports empathize with Dassault, explaining that its demand, which possibly echoes the sentiment in Paris, is not a unilateral position but comes from concerns about the project possibly overshooting the 2045 deadline.

Meta-Defence and OpexNews explain that, given the delay, a company with decades of end-to-end fighter aircraft development experience is better suited to move quickly on the design, award contracts and shorten development timelines. While this may hold some credence, we also cannot rule out a significant element of industrial rivalry, where Dassault might not want to cede space to another defense major.