France sees no signs of a possible German withdrawal from the FCAS sixth-generation fighter project

France sees no signs that Germany may abandon the multi-billion dollar FCAS (Future Combat Air System) project. This was reported by a spokesman for the French Air Force.

Here's What We Know

The FCAS programme, led by Germany, France and Spain, has been plagued by problems for years. At the moment, everything is going to the point that it is this project that will be the last to present the sixth-generation fighter.

According to the latest estimates, the aircraft will appear in about 20 years, not before the early 2040s. By comparison, China and the US, as well as the UK, Italy and Japan, plan to have their fighters in the middle of next decade.

A French Air Force spokesman believes that Germany has no plans to leave the FCAS programme. Earlier there were rumours that Berlin might pull out of the project due to delays. The $40bn investment may be a deterrent.

The entire FCAS project is estimated at more than $100bn. The French Air Force believes that two possible aircraft designs will be selected by June 2024, with the final decision to be made by early spring 2025.

Source: Breaking Defence