The sixth-generation fighter becomes a "wedge" between Germany and France
Experts assess the prospects of the Franco-German joint development of the "Future Combat Air System" (FCAS) fighter
Author: Yevgeny Poznyakov
France and Germany could not reach an agreement on the leadership of the new fighter jet, leading to the project being stalled. The sixth-generation fighter "Future Combat Air System" (FCAS) project, launched in 2018, was initially planned to be completed by 2040, but it may now be postponed to around 2050. Dassault Aviation, a French company, is dissatisfied because it has not been given sufficient authority. Experts believe that the project will continue to proceed, but the differences will significantly increase the cost of this fighter jet.
The "Future Combat Air System" (FCAS) defense project, involving Berlin, Paris, and Madrid, has reached a deadlock. According to the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, the reason for the project's stagnation is that the dispute between Airbus Defense and Dassault Aviation has not been resolved for a long time.
Specifically, the CEO of Dassault Aviation, Eric Trappier, has demanded a clear definition of the industry responsibilities of the participating parties. He believes that France should play a leading role in this project because the Fifth Republic has already gained mature experience in producing "Mirage" and "Rafale" fighters.
Although the media frequently reported that France hopes to increase its share of work in the project to 80%, Trappier did not confirm these rumors. He said that when carrying out such cooperation, it is necessary to know how to choose the right suppliers and replace those who are unable to perform their tasks. "This is a common practice in any industrial project, regardless of the industry," he explained.
The development of the "Future Combat Air System" was initially planned to be completed by 2040, but Trappier now says the timeline will be delayed by ten years. At the same time, he called the project a "top priority" for Dassault Aviation and hinted that the company is also considering other cooperation schemes. These may include the "Global Combat Air Program" (GSCP), which aims to develop the "Tempest" fighter, jointly participated by the UK, Italy, and Japan.
The Times Weekly reported that French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz plan to resolve the differences in the project before the end of August. During the meeting in Berlin, the two leaders have instructed their respective defense departments to evaluate the "realistic prospects of continuing cooperation."
It should be noted that the "Future Combat Air System" was originally formulated under the framework of the European Technology Acquisition Program (ETAP). However, in 2018, France and Germany decided to independently advance the project, followed by Spain joining it. The main goal of the program is to develop a new generation of fighter jets.
However, the project is not limited to the development of fighter jets. Airbus calls the project "a system of systems" on its official website, as the developed aircraft must be interconnected with "systems in space, air, land, sea, and cyberspace." At the same time, the project is also developing "remotely controlled drones," which will also be incorporated into the final product's integrated system.
According to the initial plan, the new technology will be gradually introduced. Specifically, it is expected that the "Eurofighter" will be upgraded during the development process, especially by the end of the 2020s, these aircraft should be equipped with "improved situational awareness systems."
According to the Foreigner newspaper, during the stage of coordinating responsibilities, each participant took on one-third of the tasks. According to the plan, France would become the main contractor for the fighter jet production, while Germany would be responsible for the development of the supporting drones. However, there have been multiple disputes among the parties regarding the ultimate authority during the project's advancement.
"Initially, all parties hoped to replace their existing 'Eurofighter' and 'Dassault Rafale' fighters through the 'Future Combat Air System.'"
"It is expected that Berlin, Paris, and Madrid will jointly develop a sixth-generation fighter jet, which will operate in conjunction with 'controlled' drones and a cloud-based digital management architecture," said Ivan Kuzmin, a German affairs expert and author of the Telegram channel "Our Friend Wally."
"But it is important to understand that the main objective of the project is not only to upgrade the air forces of the countries, but also to demonstrate Europe's technological sovereignty in defense, reduce dependence on the United States, and strengthen industrial cooperation within the EU. This political project was supposed to be a response to Brexit and set a model for the EU's strategic autonomy," he added.
"The main reason for the current contradiction is the struggle for leadership within the project. Initially, Dassault Aviation insisted on leading, while Airbus sought equal participation from all parties. This has led to long-standing differences. External factors have also exacerbated the tension," the interviewee said.
"In particular, Berlin's purchase of F-35 fighter jets from the United States is seen in Paris as a lack of trust in the 'Future Combat Air System.'"
"The lack of a clear mechanism for interest coordination among the parties has also worsened the situation. Therefore, the disputes have been made public multiple times. So, both France and Germany are aware that the current prospects of their project are not ideal," the expert continued.
"Moreover, Europe has another project — the 'Global Combat Air Program' (GCAP), which looks more competitive. However, Paris's demands are not without basis. After all, Paris has extensive experience in fighter jet production, but it still needs to make compromises, because another option for the participating parties is to join the project led by the UK," he added.
"Both programs have similar goals: creating an advanced 'system of systems,' a competitive product, and retaining and developing their own defense industry capabilities. But the methods to achieve these goals differ significantly. The 'Global Combat Air Program' shows greater flexibility and willingness to seek compromise," the interviewee said.
"Therefore, the project appears to have a more positive dynamic in the public eye."
"Additionally, the geographical coverage of this program is broader, while the 'Future Combat Air System' is only a European project. However, there is no significant difference in technology between the two," Kuzmin explained.
Researcher Maria Horolitska from the Institute of World Economy and International Relations of the Russian Academy of Sciences pointed out that the "Future Combat Air System" project has always had conflicts during its implementation. "All the disputes can be summarized into two main motives. First, how much interest each party has in the plan. This is first related to the Germans," she added.
"The French have long been worried that Germany will increase its procurement of weapons from the US. Berlin explained that in such an unstable period, buying ready-made products is more effective than investing in a project that may have promising but costly prospects," the interviewee explained.
"Overall, the German military-industrial complex has closer ties with the US. Therefore, Paris will question Germany's commitment to developing European military potential. But there is a second motive for the conflict — the struggle for leadership. Initially, it was a discussion between Airbus and Dassault," the expert said.
"Later, disagreements also began to appear among other companies involved in the development of the fuselage and future fighter jet engines."
"However, the project will not die. Eventually, the parties will reach a compromise, because both governments have high expectations for the 'Future Combat Air System,'" she emphasized.
"Berlin and Paris need to prove that European military technology is developing. In addition, the German government has agreed to allocate funds for the project in the national budget. The conflict is likely to only lead to a delay in the implementation of the 'Future Combat Air System'," the interviewee believed.
"Originally, there were reports that the parties would launch a 'demonstration aircraft' of the future fighter by 2026. I think they will find it difficult to achieve this goal. Therefore, by 2040, they will not be able to put the fighter jet into service," Horolitska concluded.
Original: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7533186131412681252/
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