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Airbus announced at the ongoing ILA Berlin 2026 that German industry is coming together to form \u201cTeam Gen 6\u201d to develop a sovereign European 6th-generation fighter aircraft. The announcement follows the recent collapse<\/a> of the Next Generation Fighter project of the Future Combat Air System\/Syst\u00e8me de Combat A\u00e9rien du Futur (FCAS\/SCAF) program.<\/p>\n The company said that after the \u201crealignment\u201d of FCAS, the development of the overarching \u2018System of Systems\u2019 is progressing as before but the 6th-generation fighter aircraft integrated within it requires a new, agile industrial setup. Eight leading German defense and aviation companies thus signed a strategic positioning paper to continue the work started under the NGF project.<\/p>\n An exciting step for European sovereignty at ILA Berlin: \u201cTeam Gen 6\u201d, 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\u2026 pic.twitter.com\/aZcjAaO6dE<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Airbus Defence (@AirbusDefence) June 11, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n In addition to Airbus, the other companies involved are Autoflug, Diehl Defence, Hensoldt<\/a>, Lliebherr, MBDA Deutschland, MTU Aero Engines and Rohde&Schwarz. Together with the German industry, a Spanish group is also forming up with Indra, Airbus, Grupo Oesia, GMV, ITP Aero and Sener.<\/p>\n \u201cAs Team Gen 6, we have the capabilities and the capacities,\u201d said the joint statement. \u201cNow, we are looking for close alignment with policymakers and the Air Force to drive forward a superior European air combat system for collective security.\u201d<\/p>\n Jean-Brice Dumont, head of air power at the Airbus Defence & Space, said that the industry is preparing options for the governments and the militaries in order to decide how to proceed after FCAS.<\/p>\n \u201cAt the moment, we are going to seek guidance from our governments [about] what they want us to do. There has to be demonstrated an industrial feasibility of what is being asked \u2013 not only technical,\u201d said Dumont, according to Flight Global<\/em><\/a>.<\/p>\n At the same time, Dumont stressed upon the need to not waste the work that was done so far for the development of the NGF and the whole FCAS. \u201cWe have to consider safeguarding areas where it works, and how we reshape,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Together with the joint statement, Airbus has also released a short video showing the foundation of the FCAS alternative. The company is positioning itself as the lead of the new project.<\/p>\n The video starts with some views of the Eurofighter Typhoon, the Dornier Anti Radar drone, the LOUT Low-Observable UAV Testbed, the A330 MRTT<\/a> and the EADS Barracuda. \u201cThe foundation is proven,\u201d says the video, referring to the know-how acquired through these different programs in Airbus\u2019 portfolio.<\/p>\n The company then says it\u2019s ready for the future, showing a concept \u2013 possibly notional \u2013 of its proposed NGF alternative. Many have already noted some resemblance to another 6th gen aircraft, the Boeing F-47<\/a>, although this concept might only be a placeholder and completely unrelated to the new project.<\/p>\n The aircraft is notably different from the earlier NGF renderings, which showed a more traditional twin engine aircraft with lambda wing, highly canted tail surfaces and so-called \u201carmpit\u201d air inlets. The new renderings, in fact, show a completely different twin-engine design, a negative dihedral gull wing, canard foreplanes and what appears to be a single ventral diverterless supersonic inlet (DSI).<\/p>\n The aircraft is shown operating with two different unmanned platforms. These include both the newly announced U760 Ravenstorm<\/a> and the previously announced Loyal Wingman for the FCAS program.<\/p>\n The latter is one of the surviving systems developed as part of the realignment of FCAS. In fact, Germany and France said they would continue to work on the drone system and related data network.<\/p>\n The imminent announcement of the collapse of the FCAS program was reported few days before ILA Berlin 2026 by French newspaper La Tribune<\/em> and German outlet Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung.<\/em> Both acknowledged profound disagreements over the program\u2019s governance between Airbus and Dassault Aviation, which in the end were unable to find a common ground.<\/p>\n German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and French President Emmanuel Macron attempted to save the program. However, the mediation efforts failed as\u00a0Dassault<\/a>\u00a0was reportedly looking at a greater workshare while\u00a0Airbus<\/a>\u00a0wanted an equal share.<\/p>\n This disagreement led the program to be stuck at the Phase 1B Technological Development, which was supposed to lead to Phase 2 involved the development and production of a demonstrator aircraft. The initial goal was to begin flight testing of the demonstrator in 2026 and field the Next Generation Fighter aircraft in 2040, a timeline that already slipped to at least 2045.<\/p>\n The decision to end the program was reportedly taken during the EU-Balkan summit in Montenegro last week, where Merz and Macron met and discussed on the sidelines of the event. The two leaders however decided they will continue to develop a drone system and a related data network.<\/p>\n German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius later confirmed that the NGF indeed was gone. \u201cIt was an ambitious, large-scale European project that is now collapsing in the face of reality,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n The Minister described the newly announced Team Gen 6 as \u201cconceivable and one possibility.\u201d However, he also said that alternatives are being considered, including acquiring additional F-35 Lightning II aircraft<\/a> or joining other aircraft development programs.<\/p>\n\n
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<\/a>6th gen concept<\/h3>\n
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<\/a>FCAS collapse<\/h3>\n
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