The race for superiority in the defense industry continues worldwide, and one of the most significant products produced in this context is the American-made Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II fighter aircraft, which is a fifth-generation fighter jet. Just as the F-35 was starting to gain popularity in other countries, suddenly a 6th fighter aircraft emerged. Here are the details about the prototype of the sixth-generation fighter aircraft produced under the Future Combat Air System (FCAS) program by Germany, France, and Spain…

Germany, France, and Spain join forces for a sixth-generation fighter aircraft!

The Future Combat Air System (FCAS) program of Germany, France, and Spain represents a major collaborative effort of three European nations to design and build 6th-generation fighter aircraft. The consortium aims to overcome the US embargo on the defense industry by combining their engineering expertise.

As we know, the first flight of the F-35 project took place in 2005, and in the 18-year period since then, apart from US investments, we have not seen a fifth-generation fighter aircraft. Only the KAAN fighter aircraft, which emerged within Turkey’s MMU TF-X project initiated in 2011, can be counted among the fifth-generation aircraft. For these reasons, the three European countries may not want to leave the reins of the sixth-generation fighter aircraft solely to the United States.

The first fruits of the joint project by Germany, France, and Spain were showcased in 2019. Although the initial prototype could hardly be considered as a mock-up, it demonstrated the conceptual design that would emerge. Furthermore, the project includes both manned and unmanned flights.

The model of the mentioned aircraft was exhibited at the Paris Air Show a few weeks ago. The model is almost identical to the one showcased in 2019. However, we can say that it reveals some details about the design. The FCAS program is currently competing against relevant warfare programs such as the US Air Force’s Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) and the United Kingdom/Italy/Japan Global Combat Aircraft Program (GCAP).

The group, planning its first flight in 2028, states that it will carry out the initial series production in 2030. The fact that there are seven years ahead and the subject is a sixth-generation fighter aircraft suggests that these goals may have been set with a somewhat idealistic perspective, but the reality of rapidly changing industry dynamics should not be overlooked.

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