[Foreign Policy] Failed rearmament - Failed armament projects of the German Armed Forces: 6th generation Fighter Aircraft

Siehe auch:
[Außenpolitik] Gescheiterte Aufrüstung - Scheiternde Rüstungsvorhaben der Bundeswehr: 6e Generation Kampfflugzeug

Since the announcement of the so-called "turning point (Zeitenwende)" in German defense policy the Bundeswehr has been making headlines regarding its rearmament. Defense spending is being repeatedly increased and personnel as well as equipment targets are constantly growing.
And certainly the Bundeswehr or rather its procurement system is capable of scaling up. Existing equipment can be procured again or in larger quantities in the future as long as it is still available.
However a closer look reveals that new meaning not yet procured equipment is causing significant problems. Interestingly considerable problems are arising with both commercially available products and custom made solutions. In light of the rising defense spending this deserves particular attention.

Germany, France, and Spain have a program to develop a sixth-generation multirole fighter aircraft. It's called FCAS (Future Combat Air System) or SCAF (Systeme de combat aerien du futur). However the FCAS/SCAF project is overshadowed by a dispute between France, the French company Dassault and the other partners Germany, Spain, Airbus (multinational) and its subsidiary Indra Sistemas (Spain). The original entry date of 2040 seems increasingly unlikely and the initial target date of 2028 for a first prototype has long since become impossible. And the FCAS/SCAF project may end up like the Eurofighter Typhoon or Dassault Rafale.

The development of military aircraft is divided into generations. And the different generations reflect technological advances and specific characteristics. Sixth-generation fighter jets currently represent the next step.
Firstly countermeasures against radar and infrared reconnaissance are being further intensified. For this purpose conspicuous control surfaces and external hardpoints for weapons are being avoided or completely omitted. The weapons are housed inside the aircraft and vertical stabilizers are becoming smaller or are entirely absent.
However reducing or eliminating aerodynamic control surfaces reduces aircraft control. Instead these aircraft are controlled via thrust vectoring meaning the targeted deflection of engine thrust.
Furthermore air-to-air missiles have ever greater ranges which is why support aircrafts such as those used for aerial refueling or airborne early warning and control (AWACS) must maintain increasingly greater distances from the combat zone. Consequently fighter jets must fly more economically meaning they must also be able to fly supersonic without afterburners.

In March 2021 Dassault CEO Eric Trappier presented the French Senate with a Plan B for the FCAS/SCAF project. A dispute had arisen between Airbus and Dassault regarding a potential technology transfer from France to Germany. Furthermore it was complained that Dassault would have to make concessions regarding control over components and systems favored by Dassault. As a result there were fears that France and Dassault could lose their leading economic and technological position in military aircraft if German and Spanish companies jointly assumed two-thirds of the development and construction. Dassault's Plan B was the nEUROn unmanned drone prototype.
It is noteworthy that Airbus is already a multinational company. Germany, France and Spain hold stakes in Airbus and Airbus has locations in all of these countries.
This development is strikingly reminiscent of the Eurofighter Typhoon. It began as a project between Germany, Italy, Spain, Great Britain and France. France withdrew from the program due to differences of opinion and subsequently developed the Dassault Rafale multi-role fighter aircraft. [1] [2]

In June 2021 reports were published giving the project a very poor assessment. According to those responsible for procurement for the German Armed Forces the submitted contract "needs to be renegotiated from a technical and economic perspective" and is "not ready for signing". The contract is "fraught with very high risks" and "severely jeopardizes" the specifications. [3] [4] [5]

In July 2025 Trappier demanded that French companies be given a larger stake in the FCAS/SCAF project. Specifically France demanded an 80% stake in the project.
In October 2025 German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius (SPD) threatened to withdraw from the FCAS/SCAF project.
And in November 2025 French Defense Minister Catherine Vautrin (LR/Les Républicains) also threatened to withdraw from the FCAS/SCAF project. Vautrin (LR/Les Républicains) demanded that the aircraft not be too heavy for French aircraft carriers and that it be exportable without the approval of the German Bundestag. [6] [7] [8] [9]

[Foreign Policy] Failed rearmament - Failed armament projects of the German Armed Forces: G95 assault rifle
[Foreign Policy] Failed rearmament - Failed armament projects of the German Armed Forces: Frigate 126
[Foreign Policy] Failed rearmament - Failed armament projects of the German Armed Forces: Helicopter H145M

Src:
[1] Désaccords sur le SCAF : Le Pdg de Dassault Aviation donne des détails sur son « plan B » 2021-03-11
https://www.opex360.com/2021/03/11/desaccords-sur-le-scaf-le-pdg-de-dassault-aviation-donne-des-details-sur-son-plan-b/
[2] Europas grösstes Rüstungsprojekt steckt in der Krise 2021-03-03
https://www.nzz.ch/international/ruestung-deutsch-franzoesisches-projekt-steckt-in-der-krise-ld.1604493
[3] Bundesrechnungshof kritisiert Luftkampfsystem FCAS 2021-06-19
https://www.rnd.de/politik/bundesrechnungshof-kritisiert-luftkampfsystem-fcas-FS2J44FG4WU2TATGCQFVWD5D6M.html
[4] Nach Rechnungshof-Bericht - Schwere Bedenken gegen Milliarden-Rüstungsprojekt FCAS 2021-06-20
https://www.dzonline.de/welt/politik/schwere-bedenken-gegen-milliarden-ruestungsprojekt-fcas-1167605
[5] Bundeswehr - Milliarden fürs Militär - Weg für Luftkampfsystem FCAS frei 2021-06-23
https://www.t-online.de/nachrichten/deutschland/id_90304362/bundeswehr-milliarden-fuers-militaer-weg-fuer-luftkampfsystem-fcas-frei.html
[6] FCAS: Zeit für einen klaren Schnitt 2025-06-24
https://www.hartpunkt.de/fcas-zeit-fuer-einen-klaren-schnitt/
[7] FCAS: Erhält Frankreich 80 Prozent am neuen New Generation Fighter? 2025-07-06
https://www.hartpunkt.de/fcas-erhaelt-frankreich-80-prozent-am-neuen-new-generation-fighter/
[8] Deutschland droht mit Aus für europäischen Kampfjet FCAS 2025-10-05
https://orf.at/stories/3407469/
[9] FCAS - Warum das Kampfjet-Projekt ins Trudeln geraten ist 2025-11-14
https://www.tagesschau.de/ausland/europa/deutschland-frankreich-fcas-probleme-100.html