Future Combat Air System (FCAS)

With demand booming in commercial and defense aviation, why are Airbus programs in turmoil?

On location in Toulouse, Aviation Week's Jens Flottau and Robert Wall discuss the implications of Airbus' latest results.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz wants the military to do a proper requirements assessment for a potential next-generation fighter.

Editors are joined by analyst Sash Tusa to discuss the fallout of the Munich Security Conference and Saudi Arabia's World Defense Show.

MTU Aero Engines' new boss wants to maintain the engine partnership with Safran to jointly pursue the fighter programs likely to emerge from the anticipated divorce between France and Germany on the Next-Generation Fighter portion of their FCAS.

German aerospace lobby BDLI is calling for a dual-fighter strategy under FCAS, effectively urging France and others to go separate ways while maintaining the veneer of cooperation.

The Franco-German-Spanish Future Combat Air System program is starting to focus on what elements can be preserved even if the partners go their separate ways.

German chancellor Friedrich Merz says Berlin and Paris will make a decision in a few weeks on whether to jointly pursue a future combat aircraft.

FCAS is suffering due to a slow pace of decision-making rather than political will to work together, France’s ambassador to Germany says.

Richard Aboulafia joins Check 6 to discuss how 2026 is shaping up to be a pivotal year for two next-generation fighter programs conceived in Europe: FCAS and GCAP.

The program looks poised to thrive in a world where the U.S. has alienated its best friends.

An effort by France, Germany and Spain on their cooperative Future Combat Air System fighter program will continue into 2026.

In the two years since our last analysis of the Swedish Air Force, Sweden has achieved several objectives aimed at modernizing its air capabilities.

Airbus sees a potential opening to address a NATO need to find an alternative platform to Boeing’s E-7 airborne early warning aircraft.

Leaders of Germany, France and Spain plan to meet to address French concerns about greater participation for Dassault Aviation in the FCAS program by year's end.

Eurofighter and Gripen deals from Turkey, Germany and Ukraine have bolstered Europe’s fighter aircraft industry rebound.

At the heart of tension in France is that Dassault Aviation asserts it does not have enough say over program decisions.

As the drama over the Franco-German-Spanish Future Combat Air System nears its climax, Airbus is sketching out what is to come.

CEO: Airbus is committed to supporting Germany and Spain on the Future Combat Air System (FCAS) program even if France drops out.

German aircraft engine maker MTU remains hopeful the French/German/Spanish Future Combat Air System program will move forward.

Sweden’s defense materiel agency FMV has contracted Saab for an expansion of its ongoing multi-phase study work into future combat aircraft development.

France and Germany have pledged to jointly develop an early warning system for Europe as both EU countries aim to strengthen defense technology capability.

German Chancellor Merz says he expects a resolution on the way forward for the Future Combat Air System program with France and Spain to be set by year-end.

“We have no lessons to learn from arrogant industrialists,” says Defense Minister Theo Francken in response to Dassault's comments about Belgium and FCAS.

Belgium has no solid basis to become a full partner in the Future Combat Air System (FCAS) program, Dassault Aviation Chairman and CEO Éric Trappier says.