Partner governments award FCAS/SCAF demonstrator contract

With the Phase 1B contract now finalised between the countries, the demonstrator for the NGF future fighter is due to fly in 2029. (Janes/Gareth Jennings)

The partner governments of France, Germany, and Spain have contracted their respective industrial representatives to undertake flying demonstrator work on the Future Combat Air System (FCAS)/Système de Combat Aérien du Futur (SCAF) programme.

Announced on 16 December, the Phase 1B funding was approved two weeks after Dassault, Airbus, Indra, and the European Military Engine Team (Eumet) of Safran, MTU Aero, and ITP Aero agreed industrial terms for the Next-Generation Weapon System (NGWS) that sits at the core of FCAS/SCAF. The NGWS comprises the New Generation Fighter (NGF), Remote Carrier (RC) ‘loyal wingmen', and the Combat Cloud (CC) networking system.

“On behalf of the governments of France, Germany, and Spain, the French General Directorate for Armament (DGA) has awarded to Dassault Aviation, Airbus, Indra, Eumet, and their industrial partners the contract for the Demonstrator Phase 1B of FCAS [/SCAF]. This landmark contract, amounting to EUR3.2 billion [USD3.4 billion], will cover work on the FCAS [/SCAF] demonstrator and its components for about three-and-a-half years,” a joint statement said.