What is going on with the Dassault Falcon SMS program?

[tuna hp]

Dassault's next biz jet, developing under the name Falcon SMS/ Super-Midsize, is always mentioned as a replacement for the Falcon 50.

PARIS AIR SHOW: Dassault reopens engine competition for Falcon SMS (http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2009/06/15/327886/paris-air-show-dassault-reopens-engine-competition-for-falcon.html)

Business Aviation Turbine Technology: AINonline (http://www.ainonline.com/news/single-news-page/article/business-aviation-turbine-technology/)

However, articles I've found (including the above) indicate that Dassault was originally looking for 10,000 lb thrust engines and now is actually going back to engine manufacturers and asking for MORE power. This is interesting because the original Falcon 50 only had 3x 3,700 lb engines and even their current Falcon 2000LX which most people would consider to have a large (as opposed to super-midsize) cabin uses only 2x 7000 lb engines to get its 4000nm range. What type of "super-midsize" plane could Dassault possibly be building that would need all that power?

Even Dassault's Falcon 900LX with 4,800nm of range and a wide cabin with 3 passenger seating sections uses 3x 5,000 lb engines... one engine out would give you 10,000 lb of total thrust... supposedly less than the one engine out thrust on the Falcon SMS. I am assuming that the Falcon SMS will have 2 engines... seems like a very safe assumption considering that even the Falcon 7x's engines make only 6,400 lb each.

Will this new Falcon SMS be a replacement for the Falcon 50 AND Falcon 2000 AND the Falcon 900?

Very interesting... I hope that they start releasing details soon.

[Red Goose]

That's mysterious enough, indeed...
As they were developing the 7X, the rumour was that it was the start of a new family, with the 5X and 9X following. But 10'00lbs is a little much for a 5X.
They might just concentrate on the heavier market (still the bestseller?)

[tuna hp]

Gulfstream unfazed by weak G250 orderbook (http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2009/11/05/334428/gulfstream-unfazed-by-weak-g250-orderbook.html)

Weak sales for the G250, which is currently the most all-around capable super-midsize being marketed. But sales remain strong on their heavy jets... maybe Dassault is trying to make this plane a true "10 hour" jet, as in 4500nm+ of estimated range. Even that range with a super-midsize cabin it would seem that they could do with less than 10,000lb x 2 thrust.

Maybe something that could deliver 10 hours of flight at some high speed like M.85? Like 4,900nm @ M.85?

It wouldn't think that the economic case is very strong for making a plane that wasn't compatible with FAA Part 135 regs for crew rest requirements versus flight time. The one example I can think of that doesn't conform with this would be the Global 5000 with an estimated 5,200nm of max range while typically not being outfitted with a crew rest... they probably figure that even Part 135 operators could be attracted to the ability to burn up all that fuel in 10 hours at whatever high speed that would be. Or maybe the ability to do missions that they could hypothetically "plan" for 10 hours even though they know that there's a good chance that between routing and weather that it will take longer? Do operators ever do this?