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Future Combat Air System
The Future Combat Air System (FCAS; French: Système de Combat Aérien du Futur, SCAF; German: Zukünftiges Luftkampfsystem; Spanish: Futuro Sistema Aéreo de Combate, FSAC) is a European combat system of systems under development by Dassault Aviation, Airbus and Indra Sistemas. In June 2026, the New Generation Fighter (NGF), prime part of the project, was cancelled by Germany and France due to disagreement on several issues. However, the "combat cloud," a highly secure link, had been in doubt for months as the two sides could not solve the problems of the fighter project. This project would continue to be developed under the name FCAS. This "combat cloud" project was described by the media as a face-saving solution.
The FCAS was planned to consist of a Next-Generation Weapon System (NGWS) as well as other air assets in the future operational battlespace. The NGWS's components were planned to be remote carrier vehicles (swarming drones) as well as a New Generation Fighter (NGF)—a planned sixth-generation jet fighter[better source needed]—that would have possibly superseded France's Rafale as well as Germany's and Spain's Eurofighter (co-developed with the UK and Italy).
A test flight of a demonstrator was initially expected around 2027 and entry into service around 2040. According to Airbus, the first test flight of an FCAS fighter jet was planned for 2028 or 2029, together with swarming drones with all vehicles connected to each other via an information technology "combat cloud".
In June 2026 the Next-Generation Weapon System was cancelled by Germany and France.
The FCAS concept was developed in the frame of the European Technology Acquisition Programme (ETAP) that was started in 2001 as a co-operation between Germany, France, Great Britain, Italy, Sweden and Spain. The new FCAS concept was a System of Systems (SoS) approach combining manned and unmanned systems, combat aircraft and UCAV, to be more efficient in the envisaged future scenarios than operating with manned systems alone.
Towards the end of 2010, the Lancaster House Treaties were signed by the UK and French government with the goal of increased future military cooperation. In July 2012, 13 million euros were set aside for the "preparatory phase of a future aerial combat system program"(FCAS DPPP). Then, at the French-British summit in 2014, François Hollande and David Cameron discussed the development of these systems, with most of the conversation centered around a proposed military drone. The military drone was then thought to be necessary, but there was some disagreement to the necessity of a completely new fighter jet system.
Studies were conducted and test flights were organized for the Dassault nEUROn, which first flew on December 1, 2012, and the BAE Systems Taranis which first flew in 2013. France and Britain organized preliminary studies into development of the system, with an emphasis on architecture, key technology development, and possible methods of flight simulation. The studies were supervised by the Direction générale de l'armement and entrusted to Dassault Aviation, BAE Systems, Thales, Leonardo, Rolls-Royce, and Safran Aircraft Engines.
At the French-British Summit at Amiens in March 2016, the two countries began the next step of organizing a live demo. In January 2018, there was still no confirmed demo and by 2019 the program had ceased development. In July 2018, the British announced the combat fighter Tempest developed by BAE Systems, an independently developed next generation combat fighter.
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Future Combat Air System
The Future Combat Air System (FCAS; French: Système de Combat Aérien du Futur, SCAF; German: Zukünftiges Luftkampfsystem; Spanish: Futuro Sistema Aéreo de Combate, FSAC) is a European combat system of systems under development by Dassault Aviation, Airbus and Indra Sistemas. In June 2026, the New Generation Fighter (NGF), prime part of the project, was cancelled by Germany and France due to disagreement on several issues. However, the "combat cloud," a highly secure link, had been in doubt for months as the two sides could not solve the problems of the fighter project. This project would continue to be developed under the name FCAS. This "combat cloud" project was described by the media as a face-saving solution.
The FCAS was planned to consist of a Next-Generation Weapon System (NGWS) as well as other air assets in the future operational battlespace. The NGWS's components were planned to be remote carrier vehicles (swarming drones) as well as a New Generation Fighter (NGF)—a planned sixth-generation jet fighter[better source needed]—that would have possibly superseded France's Rafale as well as Germany's and Spain's Eurofighter (co-developed with the UK and Italy).
A test flight of a demonstrator was initially expected around 2027 and entry into service around 2040. According to Airbus, the first test flight of an FCAS fighter jet was planned for 2028 or 2029, together with swarming drones with all vehicles connected to each other via an information technology "combat cloud".
In June 2026 the Next-Generation Weapon System was cancelled by Germany and France.
The FCAS concept was developed in the frame of the European Technology Acquisition Programme (ETAP) that was started in 2001 as a co-operation between Germany, France, Great Britain, Italy, Sweden and Spain. The new FCAS concept was a System of Systems (SoS) approach combining manned and unmanned systems, combat aircraft and UCAV, to be more efficient in the envisaged future scenarios than operating with manned systems alone.
Towards the end of 2010, the Lancaster House Treaties were signed by the UK and French government with the goal of increased future military cooperation. In July 2012, 13 million euros were set aside for the "preparatory phase of a future aerial combat system program"(FCAS DPPP). Then, at the French-British summit in 2014, François Hollande and David Cameron discussed the development of these systems, with most of the conversation centered around a proposed military drone. The military drone was then thought to be necessary, but there was some disagreement to the necessity of a completely new fighter jet system.
Studies were conducted and test flights were organized for the Dassault nEUROn, which first flew on December 1, 2012, and the BAE Systems Taranis which first flew in 2013. France and Britain organized preliminary studies into development of the system, with an emphasis on architecture, key technology development, and possible methods of flight simulation. The studies were supervised by the Direction générale de l'armement and entrusted to Dassault Aviation, BAE Systems, Thales, Leonardo, Rolls-Royce, and Safran Aircraft Engines.
At the French-British Summit at Amiens in March 2016, the two countries began the next step of organizing a live demo. In January 2018, there was still no confirmed demo and by 2019 the program had ceased development. In July 2018, the British announced the combat fighter Tempest developed by BAE Systems, an independently developed next generation combat fighter.
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