Phase 1B of FCAS Fighter Project Launched

France, Germany and Spain have launched Phase 1B of the Future Combat Air System (FCAS) project in an event held at the Air and Space Force Headquarters in Madrid.

During the presentation of the program, the Spanish Minister of Defense, Margarita Robles, agreed with her counterparts from France - Sébastien Lecornu, and Germany - Boris Pistorius, that this is a strategic European project of enormous value, unity and commitment, not only in terms of military capabilities, but also in the industrial, technological and socio-economic fields.

This project brings together many European industries under the leadership Dassault Aviation and the other national coordinators, Airbus Defense and Space GmbH and Indra. Airbus Defense and Space SAU, EUMET (Safran Aircraft Engines/MTU Aero Engines), ITP Aero, MBDA, SATNUS (GMV / Sener / Tecnobit), Thales and FCMS (Hensoldt, Diehl Defence, ESG Elektroniksystem- und Logistik-GmbH / Rohde & Schwarz) are also participating in the project.

“This presentation in society of this project highlights that the three countries firmly believe in the defense industry and therefore in the security of citizens,” said Robles. “It is an exciting and essential project for our Air and Space Armies and for our industries, which, working in coordination, will create jobs, talent, new industrial fabric and technology,” added the minister, who thanked the teams from the three countries working on the project.

“The Spanish government has committed a budget of €2.5 billion, which highlights the importance we attach to the project. We will continue to push it forward slowly but surely,” said Robles. “This Europe of Defense is essential and fundamental in a world full of risks. Everyone understands that we must invest in defense to guarantee the exercise of our rights,” she stressed.

After the trilateral meeting, the Secretary of State for Defense, María Amparo Valcarce detailed that the FCAS program will contemplate a new generation fighter, as well as a new engine, a drone system, a combat cloud, sensors, low observability technology and a simulation laboratory.