Space Forum / Space Flight / October 2005

Not sure to what extent this sort of thing is news, but some might be
interested: Dassault have built and produced an aircraft without
building a single prototype; they went straight from computerised design
to production.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/click_online/4275332.stm

 "From the early stages we have been in a position to understand not
 only the way that we would design the airplane, but also understand
 how we would assemble it, manufacture it, maintain it, how we would
 support the aircraft in service.
 "All this being anticipated electronically, from design using those
 revolutionary tools. ...
 "We have been in a position to anticipate and validate electronically
 every single critical maintenance task without having to wait for the
 first physical parts to be manufactured and assembled." "We have been
 in a position to anticipate and validate electronically every single
 critical maintenance task without having to wait for the first
 physical parts to be manufactured and assembled."