FCAS/SCAF partner nations launch NGF demonstrator phase

Partner nations France, Germany, and Spain have launched the next phase of the Future Combat Air System (FCAS)/Système de Combat Aérien Futur (SCAF) programme.

The NGF of the NGWS, which is itself part of the wider FCAS/SCAF. The governments of France, Germany, and Spain have launched Phase 1B and Phase 2 of the programme, which are geared at developing and building a flying demonstrator of the fighter by 2027. (Janes/Gareth Jennings)

The three governments issued a joint communique on 17 May in which they announced that Phase 1B and Phase 2 of the project had commenced. Phase 1B aims to develop a flying demonstrator of the New Generation Fighter (NGF) element of FCAS/SCAF, with Phase 2 being the actual manufacture of the demonstrator in time for its 2027 first flight.

“Florence Parly, Minister of the Armed Forces of France; Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer, Minister of Defence of Germany; and Margarita Robles, Minister of Defence of Spain, are pleased to announce the finalisation of the discussions regarding the content of the next phase of the FCAS programme, aiming at developing a NGF demonstrator flying by 2027,” the communique said.

“The discussions conducted by the DGA (Direction Générale de l’Armement French defence procurement agency), BMVg (Bundesministerium der Verteidigung German defence procurement agency), and DGAM (Dirección General de Armamento y Material Spanish defence procurement agency) during the last [few] months [achieved] a balanced agreement between the different partners for the next step of the demonstration phase of the programme.”