Future air power

Making manned and unmanned platforms smarter

By connecting a range of manned and unmanned platforms, the Future Combat Air System can help secure European sovereignty and technological leadership in the military aviation sector.

In the past, combat pilots had to do a lot of things by themselves. But times are changing: future air power will be based on a network of intelligent, connected platforms, delivering highly accurate, real-time information.

Airbus and Dassault Aviation have joined forces with the intention of developing and producing Europe’s Future Combat Air System (FCAS). The forward-looking solution will aim to secure European sovereignty and technological leadership in the military aviation sector for the coming decades.

FCAS explained

The FCAS concept comprises a system of systems to connects manned and unmanned air platforms, including a next-generation fighter aircraft, Medium-Altitude Long-Endurance Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), the existing fleet of aircraft such as the A400M and Eurofighter, future cruise missiles, and combat drones flying in swarms. Each component is made smarter by connecting them via satellite constellations and cyber-secured networks. The new fighter aircraft would be at the heart of FCAS, able to control unmanned platforms to autonomously carry out multiple tasks .

Ready for future threats

The global environment is increasingly unpredictable, as are challenges to security. Nations must be able to respond at home, abroad and online against a variety of threats. With FCAS, France and Germany are leading the way by jointly developing the next generation of capabilities.

Roadmap for development

The roadmap is a work in progress. Some technologies will mature earlier and be brought into the current aircraft (Eurofighter and Rafale), some will be tested on prototypes and demonstrators, and implemented when fully mature in the final system. The next generation of fighter aircraft are expected to enter service between 2035 and 2040.  

Tornado successor: Team Eurofighter presents offer to Germany

German Eurofighter (front) and Tornado (back) in Formation. ©Andreas Zeitler/Airbus

Munich, 24 April 2018 – On the eve of the ILA Berlin Air Show 2018, Airbus and Eurofighter GmbH have submitted their offer to the German Ministry of Defence for a replacement of the Bundeswehr’s ageing Tornado combat aircraft, which was developed in the 1960s, and have established the Eurofighter as its ideal successor.

Currently, the German Air Force is planning to phase out the Tornado from 2025 onwards and to transfer capabilities to another weapon system. As the Eurofighter system is already in use by Germany, this system could seamlessly adopt the capabilities of the Tornado aircraft. In addition, increased use of the same type of aircraft would result in considerable cost savings in terms of support services and training costs due to economies of scale, which would also reduce per-hour flying costs within the German Armed Forces.

“The Eurofighter is already the backbone of the German Air Force and is therefore the logical option to adopt the capabilities of the Tornado in the medium term,” said Bernhard Brenner, Head of Marketing & Sales at Airbus Defence and Space. “We have an excellent aircraft, its production secures important aircraft construction know-how in Germany and, at the same time, strongly supports European sovereignty in defence. The successful continuation of Eurofighter production could also lead to further cooperation with other European nations such as Switzerland, Belgium and Finland.”

Volker Paltzo, Eurofighter Jagdflugzeug GmbH CEO, said: “I am confident that Eurofighter Typhoon can provide a cost effective and attractive solution for Germany, which will deliver every capability and perform every mission the German Air Force needs.”

In the medium term, the further development of the Eurofighter will provide the technological basis for the next generation of European combat aircraft. The intent of collaboration was agreed between France and Germany in July 2017 and these aircraft are currently expected to enter into service around 2040.

In the UK, Eurofighter is already increasingly taking over the tasks of the Tornado, as the Royal Air Force has decided to retire its Tornado fleet in 2019.

The Bundeswehr currently operates 130 Eurofighters and 90 Tornados. The German Air Force’s fleet of combat aircraft is used both for missions to secure airspace sovereignty over Germany and in international NATO alliance missions around the world.