24 November 2020

FCAS progresses with award of sensor contract

by Gareth Jennings

The Future Combat Air System (FCAS)/Système de Combat Aérien du Futur (SCAF) being developed by France, Germany, and Spain took a step forward on 23 November with the announcement that a contract to develop sensors for the Next-Generation Weapon System (NGWS) element of the project had been awarded.

The New Generation Fighter of the Next-Generation Weapon System, which is itself part of the wider FCAS. Indra has been contracted to lead the effort to develop the sensor package for the system of systems. (Janes/Gareth Jennings)

Acting on behalf of the three nations, the French DGA procurement agency awarded an Indra-led consortium to develop sensors for the New Generation Fighter (NGF) and the Remote Carrier (RC) ‘loyal wingman’ that, along with the Air Combat Cloud (ACC) network, make up the NGWS element of the FCAS/SCAF system of systems. Spain’s Indra will be joined in the endeavour by France’s Thales and Germany’s Future Combat Mission System (FCMS) consortium of Hensoldt, Diehl Defence, ESG, and Rohde & Schwarz.

“The consortium will work on the design of the concepts required to meet the stakes of 2040 and beyond for the next-generation combat system, involving a connected and distributed architecture of sensors, the design of future sensors architectures, and the maturation of the associated sensors technologies,” Indra said, adding that the sensor award is part of the Phase 1 contractual framework that was signed in February. The Phase 1A concept study for sensors will last for one year, a period which may be extended by another six months.

The Future Combat Air System (FCAS)/Système de Combat Aérien du Futur (SCAF) being developed by Fran...

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