Europe’s next fighter jet problem has no easy answer

Key Points:

• The €100 billion Future Combat Air System (FCAS) program, a collaboration between France, Germany, Spain, and Belgium, has collapsed due to disagreements between Dassault Aviation and Airbus Defence and Space, leaving European countries reassessing their air power strategies.
• Germany is proposing a new alliance called Team Gen 6 to develop a sixth-generation European combat aircraft, emphasizing networking, drones, and integration of crewed and uncrewed platforms, but requires political and financial support.
• An alternative is for countries like Germany to buy more American F-35 jets, which are nuclear-capable and already in use by NATO allies, though this increases dependence on the U.S. and conflicts with Europe's goal of strategic autonomy.
• Another option is joining existing multinational projects such as the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP) led by Italy, Japan, and the UK, or salvaging parts of FCAS like drones and combat cloud technologies, though integration challenges remain.
• Sweden is also a potential partner, with its own advanced air defense and combat aircraft capabilities, which Germany has considered for cooperation to strengthen European air power development.