Dassault reports strong sales - but negative orders

The company announced net sales of 3.42bn Euros ($4.67bn) for 2009 with almost 75% of the sales going outside of France.

However backlogged order positions amounted to a loss of 1.32bn Euros ($1.8bn) following a cancellation of 65 Falcon jets by fractional ownership programme Netjets.

The relationship between the two companies remains strong with Dassault expecting to add the cancelled aircraft to the market by 2014