The Future Combat Air System (FCAS) program, intended to develop a sixth-generation fighter to replace the French Rafale and the European Eurofighter Typhoon in 2040, is going through one of its worst crises since its creation in 2017. Tensions between France and Germany, the main driving forces behind the project, have led Dassault Aviation to consider moving forward on its own with the development of the New Generation Fighter (NGF).
A French official told a small group of journalists on Wednesday: “If we fail to reach an agreement on the FCAS, there is no reason for concern, France has already built, knows how to build, and will build a fighter on its own. ‘Alone’ does not mean only within France, we could involve a European ecosystem of subcontractors.” The source, who asked to remain anonymous due to the sensitivity of the matter, also stressed that the service entry date of the new aircraft —2040— is “non-negotiable.”
The statement comes after Dassault Aviation and Airbus Defence and Space declared this week that they can develop the fighter without depending on one another. However, doubts remain about France’s financial capacity to take on the project without European partners.
One of the main points of friction is the distribution of responsibilities. Dassault Aviation demands greater decision-making power over the development of the NGF, arguing that the current management structure could lead to delays. “I am not against the project, but when Germany says it is going to exclude France, doesn’t that bother you? (…) Unfortunately, today, if a dynamic of hard power is not created, no results are achieved,” said Dassault CEO Éric Trappier before French lawmakers.
Another technical disagreement lies in the weight of the future aircraft: France favors a 15-ton design capable of operating from aircraft carriers, while Germany prefers an 18-ton design focused on air superiority. According to French officials, a heavier aircraft would require a more powerful engine, which could cause additional delays.
The crisis is intensifying in a political context marked by the lack of a successor to Sébastien Lecornu, until recently France’s Minister of the Armed Forces, who was considered a key player in maintaining negotiations with Berlin. In addition, President Emmanuel Macron is expected to travel to Germany in early October, and the defense ministers of France, Germany, and Spain are scheduled to meet that same month in an attempt to steer the project back on track.
Spain, which joined FCAS in 2019 and supports Germany’s positions in this dispute, considers the program strategic for the future of its combat aviation. Madrid has already given up on acquiring fifth-generation F-35 fighters and relies on the success of FCAS to secure its air capabilities for the coming decades.
The outcome of the negotiations will be decisive not only for the future of FCAS but also for the industrial and strategic balance of European air defense.
*Images for illustrative purposes.
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France should try building a 5th gen. Fighter first, if they want to succeed. You had to know multi European countries building anything would fail…
Es kann auch nicht sein dass Frankreich auf 80% an diesem Flugzeug haben möchte oder beansprucht, gemeinsam entwickeln bedeutet 50/50 oder mit Spanien vielleicht sogar durch drei…. Ich würde Frankreich eventuell 40% bieten während Spanien und Deutschland 30% bekommen…. Aber 80%??? Dann sollte Deutschland mit Spanien wahrscheinlich auch mit Schweden zusammen versuchen einen neuen Fighter zu bauen, das schaffen sie…. Hätte man von Frankreich Ansprüchen vorher geahnt hätte man sich lieber wieder mit den Briten zusammen getan.
Why not plan on building two types of fighters: a heavier one and a lighter one? Build one first and then , based on the experiences, build the second one.