After the joint initiative by Germany and France to develop a new generation of fighter jets for Europe was abruptly halted, a group consisting of eight aerospace and defense companies led by Airbus is planning to form an alliance. The goal is to independently develop a European sixth-generation fighter jet, aiming to replace the troubled German-French fighter jet project.
According to a letter obtained by the British Financial Times on June 9, it was reported that the German defense and aerospace division under Airbus, as well as companies such as Autoflug, Diehl Defence, Hensoldt, Liebherr, MBDA Missile Systems, MTU Aero Engine Corporation, and Rohde & Schwarz, presented this concept to German Chancellor Merz’s office and Defense Minister Pistorius earlier this week.
According to sources familiar with the matter, this German-led group plans to announce the formation of an alliance called “Team Gen 6” at the Berlin International Aerospace Exhibition later this week. One of the sources said, “This sends a signal that the German industry is ready to develop sixth-generation fighter jets locally in Europe.”
After this report was released, none of the companies involved, nor the German Ministry of Defense, have commented.
February 2020, Paris, France. Model of the new generation fighter aircraft for the FCAS project. Photo by IC.
Over the past decade, Germany and France have been working hard on the Future Combat Air System (FCAS) project, aiming to develop a new generation of fighter jets for Europe. However, due to a series of differences in specific development plans between Germany and France, progress in this project has remained stagnant, with no significant advancement achieved over time.
Due to the inability of both parties to bridge their differences, this ambitious European defense plan ultimately led to its failure. Reuters reported on June 8 local time that during the EU-Western Balkans summit held in Montenegro last week, German Chancellor Merz and French President Macron discussed the progress of the FCAS project and agreed to cancel this joint fighter aircraft project worth 100 billion euros.
According to a draft statement of position, after Mertz made the decision to cancel the project, several companies announced their intention to integrate their capabilities through core teams, in order to maintain a 'prepared state' for aerial operations over the next few decades.
According to people familiar with the matter, although the details are still being discussed, the CEOs of these eight companies plan to meet in Berlin during the airshow this mid-week, sign the agreement, and officially announce the establishment of the alliance.
One possibility is that the core group formed by these eight companies will continue to cooperate with Spain, who are also partners in the FCAS project. It is possible that in the future, they will collaborate with Swedish defense contractor Saab, or with the ‘Global Combat Air Program’ project composed of Britain, Italy, and Japan.
With Mertz's decision to halt the German-French joint fighter aircraft project, Germany must find alternatives for the new type of fighter jets that were originally planned to become the backbone of the German Air Force starting in the 2040s.
A rendering of the “Future Air Combat System” project, which costs 100 billion euros, has previously been embroiled in intense industrial disputes. Financial Times
The Financial Times reported on June 8 local time that Germany has informed France of the termination of joint fighter jet development. As Europe is seeking to strengthen its military forces in order to supposedly counter Russia, this move could deal a fatal blow to Europe’s largest defense project.
German Defense Minister Pistorius said that Berlin is currently seeking new partners. “As you can imagine, we have been discussing this matter with various parties for several months,” he said. “But I do not want to publicly speculate about which specific project it is, or who will lead it.”
According to British media, the announcement this week regarding the formation of a new alliance indicates that Germany's major aerospace and defense companies have the ambition and potential to develop next-generation fighter jets. At the same time, Mertz's decision also highlights Germany's growing confidence. The country is embarking on a historic military expansion plan, with an expected total investment of over 750 billion euros by 2030.
In the past few decades, Airbus has been collaborating with other countries to develop fighter jets. A well-known example is the development of the Eurofighter Typhoon fighter jet in cooperation with the UK and Italy. Some industry analysts believe that the company will still need the help of partners in the future.
Furthermore, the emergence of this latest alliance is also the first step in establishing an industrial consortium composed of the aforementioned eight core members. In the future, this consortium may expand to include other European partners, but it will not include Dassault, the company that was originally responsible for the FCAS fighter jet project.
According to insiders, although Airbus, aircraft engine manufacturer MTU, missile manufacturer MBDA, Dierdorf Defense Company, and sensor and radar manufacturer Hispano can provide various technical capabilities for future fighter jets, it is likely that other non-German partners will be needed to make this concept a reality without the involvement of Dassault.
The FCAS project was initiated by French President Macron and then German Chancellor Merkel in 2017. It is a flagship defense initiative for Europe, and Spain joined the program in 2019.
It is currently unclear whether other components of the FCAS program, including drones, sensors, and engines, can continue to be developed if they lose their key role as core weapons.
According to relevant officials, Mertz proposed that Germany, France, and Spain continue to cooperate on the so-called 'combat cloud' project. This is one of the 'pillars' of the FCAS project, aimed at achieving real-time connectivity between aircraft, sensors, radars, drones, and satellites.
According to reports, after the FCAS project is terminated, it is expected that France will opt for a separate development effort, with Dassault Aviation working on the new generation of fighter jets independently.
