Largest member of the Dassault family of business jets, the Falcon 900 tri-jet was announced in May 1983, initially as the Mystere-Falcon 900, to compete with the Challenger and Gulfstream long-range corporate jets. Roll-out of the prototype took place in May 1984 and the first flight took place on 21 September 1984 from Bordeaux-Merignac airfield. DGAC and FAA certification followed in March 1986 and the first customer delivery made in December 1986. Eighty-three had been delivered by the beginning of 1990, all but two for export. The Falcon 900 is aimed at the top-end of the business jet market and the aircraft provides fast comfortable transport for 12-19 passengers in a wide-body cabin over transcontinental ranges. A number of governments have bought Falcon 900s for VIP use including France, Nigeria, Malaysia, Spain and Australia. In September 1987 the Japanese Maritime Safety Agency ordered two specially-adapted long-range maritime surveillance versions of the Falcon 900 fitted with an operations control station, special communications equipment, observation hatches and sonobuoy, marker and flare dropping chutes. The aircraft entered service in September 1989.