Germany and Spain have decided to continue working on a sixth-generation fighter aircraft project despite the collapse of the European Future Combat Air System (FCAS) program, whose partnership with France was officially terminated due to industrial and operational disagreements deemed irreconcilable.
According to information released during ILA Berlin 2026, Airbus is now leading a new initiative called Team Gen 6, composed of eight companies from the defense and aerospace sectors.
The goal is to develop technologies that could form the basis of a future next-generation combat aircraft intended to replace part of Europe’s fighter fleet over the coming decades.
FCAS was launched in 2017 as one of Europe’s most ambitious military programs, bringing together France, Germany, and later Spain to develop an integrated air combat system consisting of a sixth-generation fighter aircraft, accompanying drones, and a digital data-sharing network known as the “combat cloud.”
However, years of disputes between France’s Dassault Aviation and Airbus, which represented German and Spanish interests, prevented significant progress in the development of the core aircraft.
The disagreements mainly involved industrial leadership, intellectual property rights, and operational requirements. France advocated for a fighter capable of operating from aircraft carriers and carrying nuclear weapons, while Germany had different priorities for its future air force.
Despite the end of FCAS as a joint program, Germany and Spain are considering preserving some of the technologies already developed, including drone systems and the combat cloud, which could serve as the foundation for future European projects. The new initiative may also seek additional partners to share costs and accelerate development.
Experts suggest that the emergence of Team Gen 6 could reshape the European combat aviation landscape, which already includes another sixth-generation program, GCAP, led by the United Kingdom, Italy, and Japan. The outcome could be a competition between different European projects to define the future of the continent’s military aviation.
An exciting step for European sovereignty at ILA Berlin: “Team Gen 6”, a group of eight leading German defence and aviation companies signed a strategic positioning paper. The German and French governments have announced a realignment of the European Future Combat Air System… pic.twitter.com/aZcjAaO6dE
— Airbus Defence (@AirbusDefence) June 11, 2026
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Photo and video: Airbus / X @AirbusDefence. This content was created with the assistance of AI and reviewed by the editorial team.
