Explained: Europe’s air dominance plan with 6th-gen stealth fighter and combat cloud

Europe’s FCAS is a joint program by France, Germany, and Spain to build a connected air combat system around a sixth-generation fighter.

The system would link the NGF fighter with autonomous Remote Carriers, sensors, and a combat cloud for shared battlefield data.

FCAS is intended to replace parts of current fighter fleets around 2040 and reduce Europe’s dependence on U.S. systems.

But the project has been slowed by disputes over leadership, industrial workshare, and differing military requirements.