 Given the numerous government contract cancellations during the 1960s, the BAC 1–11, launched as a private venture, probably saved the company.In May 1966, BAC and Breguet formed SEPECAT, a joint company to manage the Jaguar aircraft programme.The first of eight prototypes flew on 8 September 1968, and service entry was achieved with the French Air Force in 1973, by which time Breguet had become part of Dassault Aviation.