Future Combat Air System

The Future Combat Air System (FCAS; French: Système de Combat Aérien du Futur, SCAF; German: Zukünftiges Luftkampfsystem; Spanish: Futuro Sistema Aéreo de Combate, FSAC) is a European combat system of systems under development by Dassault Aviation, Airbus and Indra Sistemas. In June 2026, the New Generation Fighter (NGF), prime part of the project, was cancelled by Germany and France due to disagreement on several issues. However, the "combat cloud," a highly secure link, had been in doubt for months as the two sides could not solve the problems of the fighter project. This project would continue to be developed under the name FCAS. This "combat cloud" project was described by the media as a face-saving solution. The FCAS was planned to consist of a Next-Generation Weapon System (NGWS) as well as other air assets in the future operational battlespace. The NGWS's components were planned to be remote carrier vehicles (swarming drones) as well as a New Generation Fighter (NGF)—a planned sixth-generation jet fighter—that would have possibly superseded France's Rafale as well as Germany's and Spain's Eurofighter (co-developed with the UK and Italy). A test flight of a demonstrator was initially expected around 2027 and entry into service around 2040. According to Airbus, the first test flight of an FCAS fighter jet was planned for 2028 or 2029, together with swarming drones with all vehicles connected to each other via an information technology "combat cloud". In June 2026 the Next-Generation Weapon System was cancelled by Germany and France.