In concept a scaled down Falcon/Mystère 20, the Falcon 10/100 was an all new design except for similar wing high lift devices. Conceived in the late 1960s, the Falcon 10 was the second member of the Dassault Falcon family to be developed. Dassault originally intended the Falcon 10 be powered by two General Electric CJ610 turbojets, and a CJ610 powered prototype first flew on December 1 1970.

Flight testing was delayed until May 1971 while changes were made to the wing design, including increasing the wing sweepback angle. The second prototype was the first to be powered by Garrett TFE731 turbofans, and it completed its first flight on October 15 1971. Flight testing was completed with the aid of a third prototype, and French and US certification was awarded in September 1973. Deliveries of production aircraft began that November.