DefenseFCAS at risk: France pushes for leadership while Germany considers exit
The Future Combat Air System (FCAS) program, a joint effort by France, Germany and Spain to develop a sixth-generation fighter jet by 2040, is now at a turning point. The project’s second phase, which foresees the construction of flying demonstrators, risks further delays due to disagreements over leadership and industrial responsibilities.
According to documents from Germany’s defence ministry seen by Reuters, Paris has demanded a dominant role in the consortium, a move Berlin sees as undermining German industry’s participation.
The dispute comes as French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz prepare to meet in Toulon to seek a breakthrough.
Valued at more than €100 billion, FCAS brings together Dassault Aviation, Airbus and Spain’s Indra, and is intended to replace the Rafale and Eurofighter Typhoon fleets from 2040. Yet, repeated clashes over intellectual property and workshare have already set the program back.
Meanwhile, Europe’s rival initiative is gathering pace: the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP), led by the UK, Italy and Japan, aims to field an advanced stealth fighter within the same timeframe.
Some German lawmakers suggest Berlin could eventually step away from FCAS if no deal is reached. Alternatives under discussion include ordering additional Eurofighters with enhanced capabilities by the end of the decade, or even exploring a partnership with Sweden, which is planning to launch its own sixth-generation fighter project.
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Creator of the website that started in 1996 as a magazine. He also writes on Brazilian websites AUTOO, MOTOO and MetrôCPTM.
