In October 2018, during the last edition of Euronaval, Dassault Aviation unveiled a scale model of what could become the Franco-German Future Combat Air System (FCAS) or Système de Combat Aérien Futur (SCAF). This first model displayed a tailless delta-winged aircraft clearly inspired by Dassault’s Rafale. Despite its presence in a naval exhibition, this plane soon raised questions about its ability to operate from an aircraft carrier, or even to act as an air superiority fighter.

France and Germany have awarded the first-ever contract – a Joint Concept Study (JCS) – to Dassault Aviation and Airbus for the Future Combat Air System (FCAS) programme. The launch of the JCS was announced by the French Minister of the Armed Forces, Florence Parly, and her German counterpart, Ursula von der Leyen, at a meeting yesterday in Paris.