Germany and Spain launch new sixth‑generation fighter consortium after FCAS collapse

The Future Combat Air System (FCAS), a joint French‑German‑Spanish programme to create a sixth‑generation fighter, was officially abandoned on 8 June 2026 after prolonged disputes over leadership, industrial share and strategic requirements – notably France’s need for nuclear‑weapon capability versus Germany’s focus on conventional air‑defence. The failure ended years of €100 billion‑scale work and was described by Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever as "pure stupidity".

In response, Germany and Spain have formed a new partnership called Team Gen 6. The consortium, announced at the ILA 2026 exhibition, brings together eight German firms (Airbus Defence, MTU Aero Engines, Diehl Defence, Hensoldt, Liebherr, MBDA Deutschland, Rohde & Schwarz, Autoflug) and several Spanish companies (Indra, Airbus Spain, GMV, Grupo Oesía, ITP Aero, Sener). It aims to develop a modern air‑combat ecosystem that combines a manned fighter with UAVs, advanced sensors, electronic‑warfare suites and a digital “combat cloud”.

The collapse of FCAS highlights ongoing challenges for EU defence integration, with analysts warning that national sovereignty concerns continue to impede joint weapons projects even as the EU seeks to boost its defence funding and coordination.