Dassault Falcon Jet is to build a new maintenance facility at Melbourne Orlando International airport as part of the worldwide expansion of its maintenance, repair and overhaul network.

"This new factory service centre will considerably grow our presence in the US, positioning us to keep up with demand for maintenance services as the Falcon fleet grows and as new models such as the Falcon 10X and the extra widebody Falcon 6X enter service," says Dassault Aviation chairman and CEO Eric Trappier.

Intended to serve customers across North and South America and beyond, the 175,000 sq ft complex will accommodate all current Falcon models, including the new, ultra-long range Falcon 10X, the largest purpose-built business jet, and will be capable of performing major maintenance and modifications on up to 18 Falcon models simultaneously.

"We extensively evaluated several areas before we found that the business environment in Florida, along with its highly skilled workforce on the Space Coast, to be the perfect combination for this project," adds Trappier. "We appreciate the cooperative support received from the Governor's office and the State of Florida. Their support and leadership made this possible."

Governor Ron DeSantis says: "We have made it our priority to invest in our workforce to attract the world's top companies to Florida. This announcement from Dassault Falcon Jet shows how these investments are paying dividends. This new facility will bring high-paying jobs to Melbourne and lead to strong economic growth throughout central Florida."

The Melbourne facility will be a heavy maintenance platform capable of handling a full range of inspection, repair and overhaul activities from line maintenance through C checks, as well as engineering and modification services. It will be equipped with workshops, customer offices and lounges, along with a large warehouse to support shop activity and serve as a regional distribution hub. Additionally, the site will be home to a 54,000 sq ft paint shop.

Melbourne is located on Florida's Space Coast where around 35,000 people employed in aviation and aerospace benefit from excellent technical training dispensed by nearby educational institutions such as Embry Riddle Aeronautical University and the Florida Institute of Technology.

Melbourne is the latest in a series of moves planned to extend and reinforce Dassault Aviation's global MRO footprint. Next year, the company's ExecuJet MRO Services unit will open a new heavy maintenance facility in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, and start building a new heavy maintenance facility in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, to enhance maintenance offerings in the Eastern Hemisphere. The company now has 40 factory service locations and 20 authorised service centres around the world.

Construction in Melbourne is expected to begin in the second quarter of 2023 and opening is set for late 2024.