In 1937 the French Service Technique de l'Aeronautique (or Air Ministry) launched its A47 specification to replace the Aéronavale's elderly Levasseur PL.7 torpedo-bombers and Levasseur PL.101 reconnaissance aircraft, both obsolete biplanes, aboard the French Navy's two planned new aircraft carriers, the Joffre and Painlevé.

The requirement demanded that the new aircraft, which was to act as a torpedo-bomber, level bomber and reconnaissance aircraft, had to have a maximum speed of over 300 km/h (186 mph), with an endurance of 3.5 hours as a torpedo-bomber and 6 hours on reconnaissance missions.

[1] An order for two prototypes was placed with the Société Nationale des Constructions Aéronautiques de l'Ouest (SNCAO) on 15 June 1939,[2] with a similar order for two of the competing design from SNCAM, the Dewoitine D.750 following on 26 July.

It had completed 35 flying hours by 25 June when the test programme was stopped by the French surrender to Germany.

The second prototype, which differed in having the folding wings required for carrier operations, was abandoned incomplete, while the first prototype was dismantled and stored until it was finally scrapped following the German occupation of Southern France in November 1942.