France, Germany, and Spain are collaborating to develop the sixth-generation Future Combat Air System (FCAS). The project began in 2017, but it faces disagreements between the involved industries—most notably Dassault Aviation and the German and Spanish subsidiaries of Airbus Defence & Space—with respect to intellectual property and task allocation. Ultimately, an agreement was reached in 2022 allowing the initiative to commence Phase 1B, which is designed to create a demonstrator.
In summary, the FCAS program partially revolves around a next-generation fighter (NGF), which will connect to drones within the Next Generation Weapon System (NGWS), a broader system of advanced armaments, through a “combat cloud.”
During recent parliamentary hearings, French Defense Minister Sébastien Lecornu announced that a summit with Germany and Spain in December would evaluate the project’s progress, present a demonstrator, and prepare for the second phase. He highlighted the necessity of addressing political concerns such as export policies, as well as operational issues such as the aircraft’s specifications, weight, compatibility with French nuclear deterrence requirements, and ability to operate from an aircraft carrier.
However, not all disputes have reached a satisfactory resolution. The three participating nations have yet to agree on a common architecture due to differing needs, as implied by Colonel Jörg Rauber, head of the FCAS program in the German Defense Ministry, during the Air Force Tech Summit 2024 in Berlin on November 28.
As per the website Hartpunkt, Colonel Rauber underscored that the NGWS is currently a technology program, not a weapons program, and observed that Germany is concentrating on the NGF’s range, which may necessitate a larger aircraft. Alternatively, they could consider the use of external fuel tanks, which would compromise stealth.
Potential export restrictions from Germany and non-compliance with the “best athlete” principle in a budgetary report on Program 146, “Equipping the Forces,” have French politicians worried. The French politicians expressed regret over the inconsistent application of the “best athlete” principle, which prioritizes the most proficient industrial players in their respective fields when assigning project components.
Furthermore, the politicians underscored the necessity of the aerial component of nuclear deterrence to maintain technological performance, particularly in light of the increasingly contested airspaces. This is consistent with Colonel Rauber’s comments regarding the varying viewpoints on the architecture of the NGWS.
Unresolved export issues also persist. Despite being a red line for France, the Franco-German agreement of October 2019 was unable to resolve the critical problems. Article 3 of the agreement prohibits Germany from opposing the export of collaboratively developed weapons systems if German components constitute less than 20% (excluding maintenance and spare parts). Berlin makes exceptions if it determines that a transaction poses a threat to national security or direct interests. Nevertheless, the French politicians observed that Germany’s one-third involvement in the project raises concerns regarding France’s future capacity to export the system without restriction.
Additionally, they cautioned against initiating discussions in Germany about the creation of a multilateral entity with the power to veto export contracts negotiated by French authorities. They contended that such a mechanism would undermine the economic and financial sustainability of the program.
The French politicians asked for a parliamentary debate on the future of FCAS, which would include system specifications, production methods, and export policies, following the upcoming German federal elections. French Defence Minister Sébastien Lecornu endorsed the concept of a dedicated debate to investigate program details and Air Force requirements, emphasizing its long-term implications. Additionally, he said that such a discussion would address critical issues concerning the viability of Dassault Aviation, deterrence, and export policies.
Lastly, the politicians emphasized the importance of rejecting any multilateral mechanisms that regulate armament exports from European collaborative programs, arguing that France must preserve its sovereignty over its defense exports.
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