Photo. Edgewing
This year, the joint German-French next-generation fighter jet project collapsed. Nature abhors a vacuum, and it is possible that Berlin will join another program developing such an aircraft.
After France withdrew from the FCAS 6th-generation fighter jet initiative, Germany has been seeking alternatives. Joining a collaborative effort with the United Kingdom (GCAP) stands out as a potential path forward. The new British Prime Minister, Andy Burnham, recently pitched this offer to Chancellor Friedrich Merz during his visit to Berlin.
Initiated in late 2022, the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP) aims to create a 6th-generation combat aircraft. The effort is currently joint-led by the United Kingdom, Japan, and Italy. Initial schedules targeted 2035 for completion.
Canada recently joined the project as an observer. Could other nations join as well?Politico recalled a statement from a representative of Leonardo (another partner in the program), who noted that if a new country is to join, it must do so by July 2027 at the latest. That leaves little time for a decision.
Regarding the GCAP initiative and Germany’s prospective accession, we interviewed defense analyst Maciej Szopa. According to him, Berlin’s involvement presents a significant prospect. „Germany, which acquired only a limited fleet of F-35s despite substantial operational requirements, could emerge as a critical client for this platform in future decades. This might eventually entail replacing its entire Eurofighter fleet, amounting to an acquisition of 100–150 aircraft. Berlin could also provide financial backing—a non-trivial factor considering the budgetary hurdles the UK encountered with GCAP. Additionally, Germany’s involvement could induce further program expansion, potentially bringing in nations like Spain, which maintains strong industrial ties to Germany via Airbus,” stated the expert.
„Moreover, the technical capabilities of German defense firms cannot be overlooked; they could reinforce current program participants in domains such as communications, data distribution, weaponry, and sensor systems. German industrial entities were slated to specialize in precisely these areas under the collapsed FCAS/SCAF initiative,” he added, stressing that clear industrial cooperation frameworks establishing equitable workload distribution will be vital. „The United Kingdom cannot risk being subjected to a German veto, a scenario that frequently disrupted the Eurofighter program,” Szopa concluded.