France Ditches European Partnership for Solo Development of Next-Gen Fighter Jet

France has decided to forge ahead independently in developing its next-generation combat aircraft, known as Avion de Combat du Futur (ACF), after the collapse of a joint project with Germany and Spain. This decision was announced by Jérôme Bellanger, Chief of Staff of France's Air and Space Force, during a hearing at the National Assembly’s defense committee on Wednesday.

Bellanger confirmed that the ACF will now be conceived as a national initiative with an operational timeline set for 2040. The French military aims to ensure continuity in its air combat capabilities by moving forward without the previous structural collaboration framework that had been envisioned under the Future Combat Air System (FCAS) project. France remains open to potential cooperation on specific aspects of the ACF, but this will not involve a deep partnership like FCAS.

The decision to abandon the joint effort with Germany and Spain came after years of disagreements over technical specifications and industrial control between Dassault Aviation and Airbus. This split leaves both countries without a clear successor for their current fighter jet fleets—the Rafale in France and the Eurofighter in Germany, which is now receiving F-35 jets as an interim solution.

Dassault Aviation CEO Éric Trappier has expressed confidence that his company, alongside engine partner Safran and defense-electronics firm Thales, possesses all necessary expertise to develop a next-generation fighter jet within a budget well below €50 billion. Despite the end of FCAS, significant advancements have been made in areas such as aircraft design, drone technology, stealth capabilities, and combat cloud systems.

Bellanger emphasized that while the halt of the FCAS program does not mean discarding all previous work, it necessitates a shift towards national-level development for now. He stressed the importance of maintaining interoperability with Germany and other European nations on aspects like the combat cloud, which is crucial for future joint operations in Europe.

The Rafale successor will be critical for France's nuclear deterrence strategy, requiring the aircraft to carry the ASN4G hypersonic nuclear cruise missile by 2050. This timeline necessitates that conventional missions begin as early as 2040, underscoring the urgency of moving forward with a national program.

France also plans to introduce long-range one-way munitions and advanced drone technology in its arsenal. The first squadron of bombing and reconnaissance drones will be operational by summer 2027, using MBDA’s Deluge drone as a foundational platform. Additionally, experiments are underway for interceptor drones aimed at creating dedicated squadrons for these purposes.

The Air Force is also exploring the deployment of stratospheric balloons and tethered balloons to enhance communication relays and intelligence gathering capabilities. Future combat scenarios will involve overwhelming enemy air defenses with disposable drones before deploying crewed and uncrewed systems for deep strikes, reflecting a shift towards more integrated drone-human warfare strategies.

This strategic pivot by France underscores its commitment to maintaining technological sovereignty in the realm of advanced military aviation while adapting to evolving defense paradigms that increasingly rely on unmanned systems.