The Scaf (Future Air Combat System) program is back on track. According to the echoes, the differences between Dassault and Airbus are on their way to being resolved. The two partner groups responsible for creating the European fighter jet have relaunched negotiations and “would finally be close to an agreement to share the workload.”
“In the days or weeks to come”
A few days ago, during a trip to the Orlando business aviation show, Eric Trappier revealed that an agreement with Airbus was on the way for the start of Phase 1B. Negotiations are still ongoing but should be completed “in the next few days or weeks.”
At Airbus, the tone also shows real optimism about the program’s progress.
In September, in BFM Business, Emmanuel Chiva, General Director of Armaments, confirmed the progress of the talks between the two industrialists.
The Scaf in front of the Tempest
A person close to the case confirmed to the echoes that Airbus “would have obtained guarantees on the future of the project beyond phase 1B to ensure that it does not fall behind in the division of tasks in the production phase”. For its part, Dassault could have a “greater right of inspection over certain chapters of the Scaf from which it was absent.”
Launched in 2017, the Scaf program in which France, Germany and Spain participate has been stalled for more than a year due to a disagreement between Dassault Aviation and Airbus Defense and Space over the division of tasks of the NGF (New Generation Fighter), the aircraft stealthy at the heart of the system. The leaders of the two aeronautical groups, Eric Trappier and Michael Schoellhorn, have been discussing for many months the aspect of flight controls, the stealth of the device and the intellectual property of the implemented technologies.
“A Priority Project”
In recent weeks, despite various points of friction, the French and German authorities have reaffirmed their desire to complete this program at the heart of European defense. This project led by Paris, Berlin and Madrid “will be done”, assured the French Minister of the Armed Forces, Sébastien Lecornu, during a trip to Germany.
Now a demonstrator remains to be developed by 2027. Time is running out even more as the competing program, Tempest, led by the UK with Sweden, Italy and Japan, moves quickly. Last July, at the Farnborough Air Show, the United Kingdom announced the reinforcement of the aircraft program of the future, the Future Combat Air System (FCAS). According to the British Ministry of Defence, it will equip the Royal Air Force from 2035.
Source: BFM TV
