Germany launches new sixth‑generation fighter consortium after SCaF collapse

The Franco‑German‑Spanish sixth‑generation fighter programme SCaF (Système de Combat Aérien du Futur) was declared dead after Airbus and Dassault could not reach an agreement on development shares. The €100 billion project, started in 2017, aimed to replace France’s Rafale and the Eurofighter Typhoon used by Germany and Spain. With the failure of negotiations, Germany is now moving forward with a new “Team Gen 6” partnership that brings together German defence and aerospace firms—including Airbus Defence and Space’s German division, MB DA, Autoflug, Diehl Defence, Hensoldt, Liebherr, MTU Aero Engines and Rohde & Schwarz – together with Spanish companies such as Indra, Grupo Oesia, GMV, ITP and Sener. The consortium seeks a balanced, multinational approach and may also involve Sweden, which had earlier proposed a Saab concept for a manned/unmanned sixth‑generation aircraft, and could align with the broader G‑CAP programme that includes the UK and Japan. Funding and timing remain challenges, as the original SCaF schedule targeted prototype deliveries by the early 2030s, and the new effort must secure financing and a realistic development timeline.