Europe’s Sixth-Gen Fighter Program Could Learn from Its Tank Production
Even as the FCAS seems unable to move forward, efforts on another joint program are charging ahead.
The state of the Franco-German-Spanish joint Future Combat Air System (FCAS) program to develop a sixth-generation optionally-manned fighter seems stuck on the tarmac at this point, as the companies have yet to refine the scope of the project.
Spain has recently carried out tests of the unmanned aerial system (UAS) to be employed as the “loyal wingman” for the fighter, and NATO member Turkey (Türkiye) has also expressed its desire to join the effort. Yet Paris and Berlin continue to face impasses as the co-leads of the FCAS initiative.
Indeed, FCAS might merge with the UK-Italian-Japanese Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP), which substantially overlaps with FCAS in its efforts. In January, Airbus CEO Guillaume Faury said the programs should at least align to avoid duplication of technology and components.
“There are plenty of opportunities to bring those programmes close to each other so we don’t spend all the money twice,” Faury told The Telegraph newspaper. “If you want to create value and efficiency, spend less money on R&D and add volumes to lower costs, you need to have countries coming together with capacities that are the same.”
The MGCS Program is Rolling Forward
Even as the FCAS seems unable to move forward, efforts on another joint program are charging ahead. It was also last month that executives at KNDS Deutschland, KNDS France, Rheinmetall Landsysteme, and Thales signed a shareholder agreement for work on the Franco-German led Main Ground Combat System (MGCS), the program that is overseeing the development of a system of systems that will replace the Leopard 2 and Leclerc main battle tanks (MBTs) by 2040.
The MGCS is somewhat similar to the Russian Armata, which was more than just a single MBT, but included an MBT, a heavy infantry fighting vehicle (H-IFV), and a self-propelled artillery platform. While the Kremlin has touted the Armata system—from the Latin meaning weapons or Greek for chariot—as among the most advanced in the world, it was ultimately so costly that Russia couldn’t afford to build any of the vehicles in significant numbers.
Germany and France are seeking to share the costs, and could soon have a third partner, as Belgium has also expressed interest in joining the effort. However, unlike Berlin and Paris, Antwerp wouldn’t see the MGCS replace its older tanks, as Belgium retired its last operational Leopard 1 MBT more than a decade ago in 2014 as part of a cost-cutting measure. According to Army Recognition, Belgium acquired 334 Leopard 1 in the late 1960s and early 1970s.
It began to reduce its tank forces after the end of the Cold War and the dissolution of the Soviet Union.
Now that Antwerp is following the lead of other NATO members with increases in defense spending, it is seeking to rebuild its tank force. Joining the MCAS program would enable Belgium to jumpstart those efforts, but it makes sense for other reasons.
First, Belgium is strategically located between Germany and France—disastrously so during both World Wars—and maintains close military ties with both countries. In addition, it is already working with Paris on another vehicle effort.
“The country joined the French Scorpion program in 2017, ordering 60 EBRC Jaguar reconnaissance vehicles and 382 VBMR Griffon armored personnel carriers. Belgium also ordered 19 CAESAR II self-propelled howitzers, with delivery expected between 2026 and 2030,” Army Recognition added.
The Next Generation of Armor
Today, the German-made Leopard 2 tank has been widely adopted across NATO. In just the past six months, Lithuania and the Netherlands each announced plans to acquire the system.
This could be seen as laying the groundwork for the eventual MGCS to succeed the Leopard as the NATO alliance’s system of choice.
About the Author: Peter Suciu
Peter Suciu is a Michigan-based writer. He has contributed to more than four dozen magazines, newspapers, and websites with over 3,200 published pieces over a twenty-year career in journalism. He regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, politics, and international affairs. Peter is also a Contributing Writer for Forbes and Clearance Jobs. You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciu. You can email the author: [email protected].
Image: Wikimedia Commons.
