PARIS -- Airbus says it is open to a "two-fighter solution" to unlock the stalled Future Combat Air System (FCAS) program being developed by France, Germany, and Spain, according to Airbus CEO Guillaume Faury. The proposal comes amid a prolonged deadlock between Airbus and Dassault Aviation over leadership, workshare, and technology transfer on the next-generation fighter (NGF).

Faury said other FCAS pillars, such as the combat cloud, remote carriers, and engine, are progressing well and should not be derailed by disputes over a single element.

Political tensions have intensified as France and Germany missed a 2025 deadline to clarify the program’s future. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz publicly questioned whether Germany needs the same aircraft as France, which requires carrier operations and a nuclear role. Belgian defense minister Theo Francken went further, suggesting FCAS may be effectively dead, prompting Belgium to reconsider its observer role.

Faury emphasized that any restructuring decision rests with customer nations, while Airbus remains committed to European cooperation. He downplayed speculation about joining alternatives such as the Global Combat Air Program.

Source: Defense News
Associated URL: https://www.defensenews.com/global/europe/2026/02/19/airbus-open-to-two-fighter-option-for-fcas-to-keep-program-alive/
Author: Rudy Ruitenberg 

DUSSELDORF - Rheinmetall recently conducted a flight demonstration of its FV-014 loitering munition system for an undisclosed NATO member state. The test took place at the German Aerospace Centre (DLR) National Test Centre for Unmanned Aerial Systems in Cochstedt, Saxony-Anhalt. During the evaluation, the aircraft performed simulated mission scenarios and attack flights to verify its operational capabilities.

The FV-014 is a tactical system designed to combine reconnaissance and strike functions within a single platform. It is capable of engaging both armored and soft targets at ranges of up to 100 kilometers. The system uses a booster for container-based launches and is compatible with multi-launcher configurations. Once airborne, the unit deploys folding wings to transition into aerodynamic flight, powered by an electric propulsion system.

According to technical specifications, the FV-014 has a flight endurance of 70 minutes. This duration is intended to allow operators time for target identification and selection beyond the line of sight. The platform features faceted structures and a low-signature design to reduce acoustic, thermal, and radar profiles. It is further designed to operate in environments where Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) signals are jammed or otherwise disrupted.

Control of the system is managed through a portable ground station. The interface maintains a human-in-the-loop requirement, allowing an operator to oversee the entire flight path. This control mechanism enables the operator to change target priorities or abort a strike in real time if mission parameters shift. The FV-014 is currently positioned as a man-portable tool for troop-level tactical units to engage high-value assets such as command vehicles and artillery positions.

The successful demonstration of the FV-014 reflects the accelerating integration of loitering munitions into standard NATO doctrine. As traditional artillery and manned aviation face increased risks from sophisticated air defenses, unmanned systems that can linger over a battlefield offer a cost-effective method for precision strikes. By prioritizing operation in GNSS-denied environments, Rheinmetall is addressing a critical vulnerability exposed in recent high-intensity conflicts where electronic warfare has frequently rendered standard GPS-guided weaponry ineffective.

Source: Forecast International
Associated URL: https://www.rheinmetall.com/en

BERLIN - New comments by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz are raising doubts about the viability of the Future Combat Air System program, a joint fighter jet project with France and Spain.

The chancellor said on February 18 that FCAS, as currently proposed, is tailored too closely to France’s need for a nuclear-capable jet rather than to the needs of the German military, which does not currently require an aircraft for nuclear delivery. He characterized the disagreement as a technical dispute rather than a political one.

"Now the question arises, do we have the strength and the will to build two aircraft for these two different objective requirement profiles, or just one?" he told a German podcast, Machtwechsel.

The rift threatens what was once touted as a flagship of European defense cooperation, adding to growing friction between Berlin and Paris over defense funding and European Union budgets. French President Emmanuel Macron pushed back against Merz's comments, arguing that the participating nations’ military requirements have not changed since the project's inception in 2017 and appealing for Germany to keep the alliance intact. The initiative has also been plagued by ongoing leadership disputes between defense contractors Airbus and Dassault Aviation over workshare and decision-making.

Germany, France and Spain must soon decide whether to proceed to the next phase of development or scale it back by dropping the common jet element entirely.

Source: Forecast International
Author: D. Royce, Aircraft