Dassault Falcon 6X Jet – Taoiseach Brings St Patrick’s Message to America | Season 6 – Episode 27
Wings Mar 17, 2026
Each year around Saint Patrick’s Day representatives of the Irish government travel to more than fifty countries to promote Ireland, strengthen trade links, celebrate the global Irish diaspora and bring the story and spirit of Saint Patrick around the world.
Irish Government ministers and representatives travel to nations across Europe including France, Germany, Italy and Austria; across North and Central America including Canada, Mexico and Guatemala; across South America including Brazil, Argentina and Chile; across Africa including Kenya and Mozambique; and across Asia including China, India and Japan, together with visits to Australia in the Asia Pacific region.
In 2026 Taoiseach Micheál Martin and his delegation will travel to Washington and Philadelphia aboard the Government’s brand new €53 million Dassault Falcon 6X. The aircraft has a range of 10,186 km, is powered by two Pratt and Whitney PW812D engines, and cruises at Mach 0.80 (about 980 km/h).
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If you enjoy the stories we share each week, we’d be grateful for your support. Every contribution helps us continue documenting and preserving Ireland’s transport heritage.
You can become a supporter for just €2 per month:
While Dennison Trailers kindly sponsors the Ireland Made website, all filming and production costs including travel, equipment, editing software, Meta verification, music licensing and long term data storage are completely self-funded by Kevin Reid.
REPLACEMENT JET
The French built Dassault Falcon 6X arrived at Casement Aerodrome in December 2025 to replace the ageing Learjet 45, registration 258, which had been in Irish Government service since 2004. In recent years the Learjet had been plagued by repeated technical problems and was approaching the end of its operational life cycle.
On a number of occasions senior members of the Government were left stranded overseas when the Learjet developed faults while tasked with returning them to Ireland. In November 2023 the Government was forced to charter a €7,000 per hour Embraer Legacy jet through a private aviation company after the Learjet broke down, leaving Taoiseach Leo Varadkar stranded in Paris while Tánaiste Micheál Martin required urgent transport to the Middle East.
NEW GOVERNMENT JET
The 6X jet cost just under €53 million excluding VAT. The contract was awarded following a detailed analysis of the available options in accordance with the Public Spending Code.
The procurement was conducted under the Defence and Security Directive, as the aircraft includes integrated military equipment and followed a negotiated procedure with the publication of a contract notice.
Speaking at the delivery of the aircraft, The Chief of Staff of the Defence Forces, Lieutenant General Rossa Mulcahy said today marks a “significant milestone” for the Irish Air Corps in welcoming the Falcon 6X into service. “This aircraft represents a major step forward in the State’s strategic reach, delivering enhanced capability in airlift, medical evacuation and government transport,” he said. “Its range, performance and advanced systems will enable us to support Irish citizens and Defence Forces personnel across the globe with greater speed, safety and flexibility.”
DASSAULT FALCON 6X
Manufactured by Dassault Aviation at the company’s production facility in Bordeaux, the Dassault Falcon 6X is a new generation long range business jet designed for government transport and special mission roles. The aircraft is configured to carry 17 people in total, including 14 passengers.
The 6X model entered service in late 2023 and is one of the most advanced aircraft in its class. It has a range of 5,500 nautical miles and a maximum speed of Mach 0.90, allowing non-stop transatlantic travel. The aircraft features the largest cabin cross section in its category, measuring 1.98m in height and 2.59m in width, while its fighter derived digital fly by wire flight controls provide high levels of safety and handling performance. Power is provided by two Pratt & Whitney PW812D engines.
Dassault supports the aircraft through a worldwide maintenance network, including FalconResponse, an aircraft on ground support system designed to return grounded aircraft to service quickly and FalconScan, a predictive monitoring system that identifies potential technical issues before they affect operations.
DEVELOPMENT OF THE FALCON 6X
The 6X programme followed the cancellation of the earlier Falcon 5X project in December 2017. The 5X had been intended to enter service in the late 2010s but was ultimately abandoned after repeated technical problems with the French-built Safran Silvercrest engines, particularly within the high pressure compressor.
THE DASSAULT COMPANY
Marcel Dassault was born Marcel Bloch in Paris in 1892. The son of a doctor, he developed an early fascination with new technologies, particularly electricity and aviation. After studying at the Breguet School of Electricity and the Institut Supérieur de l’Aéronautique, he graduated in 1913 as aviation was emerging as a new industry.
During the First World War Bloch applied his engineering skills to aircraft design, developing the “Eclair” propeller with fellow engineer Henry Potez. The propeller achieved superior performance because the pair relied on their own flight measurements rather than manufacturer data. In 1929 Bloch founded the Société des Avions Marcel Bloch, producing both civil and military aircraft.
During the Second World War he refused to cooperate with the Nazi regime and was deported to Buchenwald concentration camp. After the war he adopted the name Marcel Dassault, inspired by the Resistance codename “Char d’assaut” used by his brother, General Paul Darius Bloch, who had used the alias during the war.
In the post war years Dassault helped revive French aviation, developing the Ouragan (1949) and Mystère (1952) supersonic fighters and later the famous Mirage delta wing aircraft. In 1963 the company entered the business jet market with the Mystère Falcon 20. Marcel Dassault died in 1986. His son Serge Dassault later expanded the Falcon range and oversaw development of the Rafale fighter, with the company becoming Dassault Aviation in 1990.
DASSAULT AIRFREIGHT REVOLUTION
The aviation vision of Marcel Dassault helped shape one of the most important changes in modern logistics: the rise of the overnight air freight industry. On May 4th 1963, at the Bordeaux–Mérignac Airport assembly facility of Dassault Aviation, Chief Test Pilot René Bigand and Captain Jean Dilliare prepared the first Mystère 20 jet for its maiden flight. Watching that day was aviation pioneer Charles Lindbergh, who was visiting France on behalf of Pan Am chairman Juan Trippe. After inspecting the new aircraft Lindbergh famously wired Trippe: “I’ve found our bird.” Pan Am (Pan American Airways) went on to order 40 Dassault Falcon 20 business jets in 1963, with options for an additional 120, totalling 160 aircraft.
Dassault’s design philosophy proved crucial to the Mystère’s success. He insisted the production version should have a longer fuselage and increased fuel capacity, changes some engineers had initially questioned. The resulting aircraft, later renamed the Dassault Falcon 20, would have a global impact a decade later when Frederick W. Smith launched FedEx in 1973. Smith needed an aircraft that was fast reliable and capable of operating from smaller regional airports. The Falcon 20 proved ideal. FedEx purchased 33 aircraft, modifying them with large cargo doors so they could carry parcels instead of passengers.
Flying more than 2,000 hours a year, these jets formed the backbone of FedEx’s Memphis hub network, allowing parcels collected across the United States to be flown overnight for next day delivery.
ST PATRICK’S DAY
During his remarks in the Oval Office at the traditional presentation of the bowl of shamrock, Taoiseach Micheál Martin is expected to emphasise the deep Irish-American relationship as the United States marks 250 years since its founding. He is likely to note that three signatories of the Declaration of Independence were Irish-born, highlighting the long historical ties between the two nations. The remarks are also seen as part of an effort to maintain positive relations with the US administration on matters such as trade and tariffs, while providing an opportunity to discuss wider global issues.
Dassault Falcon 6X will serve Ireland well in the decades ahead, supporting strategic airlift, medical evacuation and VIP transport, while each year bringing the story and spirit of Saint Patrick around the world
May we wish our subscribers, our website sponsor Dennison Trailers and all our followers a very happy Saint Patrick’s Day from the team at Ireland Made – Stories of Irish Transport.
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If you enjoy the stories we share each week, we’d be grateful for your support. Every contribution helps us continue documenting and preserving Ireland’s transport heritage.
You can become a supporter for just €2 per month on Facebook:
While Dennison Trailers kindly sponsors the Ireland Made website, all filming and production costs including travel, equipment, editing software, Meta verification, music licensing and long term data storage are completely self-funded by Kevin Reid.
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If you have an idea for a story, please email Kevin Reid [email protected]
Sources of Information, Photo, Video & Music Credits:
All music and sound effects used in Ireland Made – Stories of Irish Transport are royalty free and are fully licensed through Epidemic Sound. Ireland Made – Stories of Irish Transport therefore holds the legal right to use this audio material within its productions under the terms of the Epidemic Sound licensing agreement.
Above & Beyond – A Falcon Customer Service Magazine Volume 109 – August 2023
Department of Defence
Flying In Ireland – New Government Jet Announced – Mark Dwyer
Flying Magazine
Groupe Dassault Company Website
Irish Aer Corps Facebook Page
RTE
The Aviation Factory
