The Franco-German Future Combat Air System (FCAS) is one of the mega-projects of the future for the Air Force and the German Armed Forces. In the future, FCAS will be the successor to the Eurofighter and the Rafale. At the forefront of the project are the two companies Airbus (unmanned systems) and Dassault Aviation (future combat aircraft) as well as a number of other subcontractors (In Germany, among others: MBDA Germany, Hensoldt, Autoflug, ESG Elektro Service Gesellschaft, DIEHL Aviation, DIEHL Defence, Rhode & Schwarz and MTU Areo Engines). Due to the fact that Dassault is a purely French company and the French state holds significant shares in Airbus, a French preponderance seems to have been given from the outset, at least on the side of the main contractors.
The first corresponding contracts were signed during the Paris Air Show. At the beginning of June, the budget committee of the German Bundestag approved the first 32.5 million euros. It is important that Paris and above all Berlin now agree quickly and bindingly on export regulations for the future Franco-German combat aviation system. As can be seen from various media reports, a binding regulation for the French side is a prerequisite for the continuation of the ambitious project. The speech by Eric Trappier, CEO of Dassault, showed that this will be a sticking point. He pointed out that the intention was to offer the new combat aircraft to nations such as Saudi Arabia and Qatar, which would not be compatible with the current German export policy.
In einem ersten Schritt will Deutschland sich jetzt an der französischen Machbarkeitsstudie Next Generation Weapon System (NGWS) als Teil von FCAS beteiligen. Die Gesamtkosten der Studie sollen bei rund. 65 Mio. Euro liegen, von denen beide Nationen je die Hälfte tragen sollen. Diese Studie wird die erste einer ganzen Reihe sein. Diehl wird mit seinen Teilkonzernen Diehl Aviation und Diehl Defence während der Paris Air Show seine Expertise mit Bereich Avionik (Cockpit, Integrated Modular Avionics, Avioncs and Mission Computing Platforms, Flight Control) sowie Bewaffnung, Selbstschutz und multispektrale Sensorik zeigen. Die Entwicklungskosten für FCAS sollen einer französischen Quelle zu Folge bei rund acht Mrd. Euro liegen. Bereits am ersten Tag der Paris Air Show trat Spanien dem Projekt bei. Von den deutschen Unterauftragnehmern war erwartet worden, dass die FCAS Demonstratorphase zeitlich verschoben wird. Doch zum Start der Paris Air Show drücken die beiden Hauptauftragnehmer nun auf die Tube, sie scheinen beweisen wollen, dass die Projektverzögerungen der Vergangenheit angehören sollen. So wurde ein erster Demonstrator, ein futuristisches Mock-Up enthüllt. Damit soll eine eine bis Mitte 2021 laufende „Demonstrator-Phase“ beginnen, die zur Entwicklung von Demonstratoren und Technologien für das Kampfflugzeug, die geplanten Drohnenschwärme und zur vorgesehenen Cloud führen soll. Bis 2026 sollen die Demonstratoren einsatzfähig sein. Außerdem strebt der Deutsche Bundestag die Übertragung des Programms an eine internationale Rüstungsorganisation wie die OCCAR an.
future needs
FCAS is intended to cover the future needs of the European Air Force and is therefore geared towards their future challenges - even if it is currently a binational project. As already mentioned, the Eurofighter and the Rafale are to be replaced with it. However, it can be stated that in the medium and long term FCAS is designed as a European project, not least because Great Britain, Italy, Spain and Austria also use the Eurofighter.
From today's perspective, FCAS will primarily be characterized by the use of networked systems. The combat aircraft parts are networked with each other and with communication and transport aircraft (e.g. refueling and transport of unmanned systems), satellite systems and with so-called unmanned remote carriers (RC). The manned combat aircraft and these remote carriers together make up the Next Generation Weapon System (NGWS). At the unveiling of the demonstrator, Eric Trappier assumes that the sixth-generation combat aircraft will probably be a two-seater so that we can control the complex systems and tasks in a coordinated manner.
remote Carrier
MBDA Germany sees its own competence primarily in the area of remote carriers. According to company management, the first phase will be completed by August 2019. This is followed by a second phase lasting 18 months, at the end of which the capability requirements for such systems should be available.
The remote carriers are intended to accompany and support the manned combat aircraft as unmanned missiles in a wide variety of roles. The roles range from sensor (ahead), decoy, jammer, electronic warfare to effector.MBDA also presented a capability concept for such systems at the Paris Air Show.
According to MBDA, two classes of remote carriers are envisaged, a smaller one weighing around 100 to 150 kg and without retrieval capability, and a large class with retrieval options. The MBDA considerations are based on the TAURUS KEPD 350 as a long-range effector. Such a system could be operational by 2040, according to MBDA. If possible, all remote carriers should be based on a modular, signature-reduced design. They should have GPS-independent, robust and adaptive navigation. Networking within the RC group or swarm must also be robust and protected against cyber attacks. All in combination with artificial intelligence.
Andre Forkert
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