Franco-German combat aircraft programme collapses after years of disputes, showcasing the difficulty with military cooperation within the EU.
Rumours had been circulating for many months, but it was confirmed on Monday, June 8th: France and Germany have decided to abandon the core joint fighter plane component of their joint Future Combat Aircraft System (FCAS) project. With it goes a project that symbolised ambitions for deeper military cooperation between the two countries.
The project was launched in 2017 on the initiative of French President Emmanuel Macron and then-German Chancellor Angela Merkel. Its aim was to replace, by 2040, the French Rafale and the German-Spanish Eurofighter. After months of stalled progress, Chancellor Friedrich Merz and President Macron agreed that the main industrial partners involved in the project—Dassault Aviation on the French side and Airbus Defence and Space on the German-Spanish side—were clearly unable to work together because of diverging interests.
It was one of Europe’s largest military programmes, with an estimated total cost of €100 billion. The technological ambition was highly advanced: more than just a fighter jet, the system was to integrate combat drones, connected sensors and a next-generation digital network, thereby forming what was described as a ‘combat cloud.’
Disagreements between the industrial parties have multiplied in recent months, centring on the sharing of industrial responsibilities, intellectual property, and the governance of the project. In the spring, Macron was still insisting he believed in it, but progress remained elusive.
For defence expert Jean-Dominique Merchet, the programme had in fact been “on life support” for several months, and the German decision to formalise the end merely confirmed a shared recognition of irreconcilable industry positions rather than a unilateral move. The fact that the announcement came from Berlin—without a joint statement from partner countries France and Spain—confirms the major political setback for Macron, who has been the project’s main champion since its launch in 2017. According to Merchet, the announcement definitively confirms the now insurmountable disagreements between Dassault Aviation and Airbus over the development of the fighter plane intended to form the core of the programme. The analyst is now questioning the future of the other components of the FCAS, notably the combat cloud, the engines, and the support drones. This failure could undermine another major Franco-German project, the future European battle tank, which is itself already facing numerous difficulties.
For both countries, the failure tests their ability to advance next-generation capabilities.
For France, the failure of the FCAS will test the national defence industry’s ability to bounce back. France must now consider the possibility of a new-generation programme that it would lead alone or in cooperation with other potential partners such as Sweden, Italy, India or the United Arab Emirates. Germany is expected to consider options including additional F-35 acquisitions or interest in alternative collaborative frameworks.
The failure of the FCAS is highly symbolic at a time when, under American pressure, Europe was seeking to assert its strategic autonomy. The programme, which symbolised Europe’s ability to carry out its major armaments projects autonomously in the face of the United States and China, illustrates above all the persistent difficulties European states face in effectively coordinating their industrial, strategic, and national interests.
“Frustración y alivio”. Esas son las dos palabras con las que fuentes gubernamentales españolas definen su estado de ánimo después de que Francia y Alemania hayan certificado la defunción del NGF, el futuro avión de combate europeo de sexta generación. Frustración porque el NGF era el núcleo del NGWS/FCAS (Sistema de Armas de Nueva Generación/Futuro Sistema de Combate Aéreo), el mayor programa europeo de defensa de toda la historia, con un presupuesto estimado en unos 100.000 millones de euros.
El presidente Macron, tercero por la izquierda, con las ministras de Defensa de España, Francia y Alemania, ante una maqueta del FCAS en París en 2019.
Alemania y Francia han decidido abandonar el desarrollo conjunto de un caza de combate de sexta generación en el marco del programa FCAS, un proyecto de 100.000 millones de euros del que estaba previsto que viese la luz en la década de 2040. El programa ha estado paralizado hasta ahora por el enfrentamiento entre Airbus (que representa a Alemania) y Dassault (en representación de Francia) por ver quién se hacía cargo del desarrollo y fabricación de las partes más importantes del caza, un obstáculo que finalmente ha sido insalvable, según información adelantada por Reuters y confirmada por este periódico.
U.S. Special Operations Command (SOCOM) has confirmed that it has no plans for a direct replacement for the U-28A Draco, which is primarily used for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR). The command had previously said it was exploring requirements that might lead to a successor to the U-28A, as well as its MC-12 surveillance planes. America’s special operations community now increasingly looks to be getting entirely out of the business of flying dedicated crewed ISR aircraft, which were a staple during the Global War on Terror era.
At least publicly, all of the remaining U-28s in service today are assigned to units under Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC). The U-28 is a militarized version of the Pilatus PC-12 single-engine turboprop that carries a variety of sensors, including electro-optical and infrared cameras and a signals intelligence (SIGINT) suite. It can also be used, if required, as a light utility aircraft. AFSOC currently has around 30 U-28s in its inventory.
A member of the 27th Special Operations Wing performs preflight checks on a U-28 during Exercise Southern Star 25 in Chile. USAF
“USSOCOM will retire 8 U-28A intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance aircraft in FY [Fiscal Year] 2027 as part of its phased plan to divest all manned ISR platforms by 2029,” according to an annual force structure report the Pentagon released last month. “These retirements align with evolving mission requirements and reflect the scheduled drawdown of aircraft that have reached or exceeded their expected service life.”
Similar language has been included in past iterations of this report since 2024, but it appears to have gone largely unnoticed. Aviation Week was first to report on the contents of the newest version of the document last week. TWZ subsequently reached out to SOCOM for further clarification and more information about this decision.
“SOCOM previously announced a decision to divest the U-28 platform in 2020,” a spokesperson for the command told us today. “There are no plans to replace this ISR platform.”
TWZ has reached back out to confirm whether or not SOCOM currently expects crewed aircraft to be part of the special operations aerial ISR ecosystem at all after the U-28 leaves service at the end of the decade.
It is true that SOCOM’s plans to retire the U-28s, along with its MC-12 fleet, are well established at this point. The command completed divestment of the last of its MC-12s in 2025. This designation has been used to refer to a variety of ISR-configured variants of the Beechcraft King Air twin-engine turboprop. Special operations versions have also sometimes been referred to by the program name Javaman.
A special operations MC-12, in front, seen together with a U-28, behind. Air National Guard Andrew LaMoreaux
“The command is rapidly modernizing, to include ISR infrastructure,” Col. Justin Bronder, head of SOCOM’s Program Executive Office for Fixed Wing (PEO-FW), told TWZ and other outlets when asked about what could follow the U-28 and the MC-12 at a roundtable at the annual SOF Week conference in May 2024. “We’re working very closely with our counterparts in G2 [SOCOM’s top intelligence office], AFSOC, JSOC [Joint Special Operations Command], etc, to help both identify what the real requirements are” and “how to get after new capabilities” as “we divest and move on from some platforms that serve admirably where we were for the counter-VEO [violent extremist organization]/ Crisis Response fight in the Middle East for 20 years.”
“SOCOM has not taken steps to plan for, or add, critical ISR capabilities provided by soon-to-be divested aircraft,” the Government Accountability Office (GAO), a Congressional watchdog, said in a report published in September 2024. “Also, SOCOM has not addressed risks associated with the loss of these capabilities if the new aircraft does not provide them.”
A U-28A at a mock Forward Area Refueling Point (FARP) during an exercise. USAF
However, GAO’s report did not explicitly say that SOCOM had no intention of filling those gaps, even in part, with a new crewed platform.
“SOCOM told us that their decisions about Armed Overwatch occurred separate from their decisions to divest of existing aircraft,” a GAO spokesperson told TWZ directly at that time when asked for more information. “We are separately conducting a classified assessment of SOCOM’s process for how it decided to divest of ISR aircraft.”
There were some signs at this year’s SOF Week conference that the forthcoming retirement of the U-28 could be more of a final coda for dedicated crewed ISR aircraft within the U.S. special operations community. A representative of PEO-FW told TWZ and others at the gathering that all of the secretive SOCOM Tactical Airborne Multi-Sensor Platform (STAMP) aircraft would be transferred somewhere within the Air Force. Whether or not it will make its way under AFSOC’s umbrella is not clear, though it seems likely. How long those aircraft will remain in service at all is also unclear. The STAMP fleet, which we were first to report on years ago, has included types based on the De Havilland Canada DHC-8, or Dash 8, and the Beechcraft King Air over the years.
A STAMP fleet Dash-8. US Army
“Just a reminder that OA-1K is not a replacement for U-28,” Col. Bronder also said again at this year’s SOF Week conference. “Certainly, it can do some ISR functions, but again, [it] meets a close air support strike requirement.”
How SOCOM expects to fully make up for ISR capacity gaps left by the retirement of its existing crewed ISR aircraft remains to be seen. The U.S. special operations community does already operate a variety of drones capable of performing surveillance and reconnaissance missions, including Air Force MQ-9 Reapers and U.S. Army MQ-1C Gray Eagles. Further uncrewed capabilities will certainly be part of the equation, especially to help mitigate the threats posed by ever-more capable enemy air defense systems in contested environments.
AFSOC has already been heavily investing in what it calls the Adaptive Airborne Enterprise (A2E). This is an overarching concept of operations centered on increasing deployability by reducing personnel and logistics footprints, as well as the collaborative employment of capabilities. The vision for A2E includes heavy use of air-launched drones, loitering munitions, and other systems that are increasingly lumped together under the umbrella of so-called “launched effects.” It also extends to collaboration with friendly crewed and uncrewed assets in the ground and maritime domains.
A graphic depicting an “operational vision” (OV) for the Adaptive Airborne Enterprise (A2E) involving collaboration between platforms and forces across permissive, contested, and denied areas. USAF
As an aside, it is also worth noting that the U.S. Army finished divesting dozens of turboprop crewed ISR aircraft in December 2025 as part of a broader modernization push. That service is now in the process of acquiring a far smaller number of ME-11B High Accuracy Detection and Exploitation System (HADES) surveillance and reconnaissance planes based on the Bombardier Global 6500 business jet, which you can read more about here.
For the U.S. special operations community, all of this comes amid something of a watershed moment for crewed fixed aircraft operations, in general. In recent years, there has been reorientation across America’s armed forces toward preparing for future major conflicts, especially one against China in the Pacific, after decades of focus on counter-terrorism missions. This, in turn, has prompted questions about the continued relevance of many platforms, including the new OA-1K, which is very much geared toward low-intensity conflicts.
Outlays in SOCOM’s budget request for the 2027 Fiscal Year only show plans to acquire 53 OA-1Ks. This is down from the plans to procure 62 Skyraider II aircraft that had been previously presented in the command’s proposed budget for the 2026 Fiscal Year.
Earlier this year, SOCOM told Air & Space Forces Magazine that this was a reflection of “the strategic reallocation of resources to support [SOCOM] evolving priorities.” However, the command also insisted that it still expects to eventually acquire 75 OA-1Ks as originally planned.
SOCOM has also stressed that American special operations forces will still be called upon to provide support to counter-terrorism missions and in other low-intensity conflicts for the foreseeable future despite the pivot toward preparedness for high-end fights. The command has said this continues to justify the acquisition of the OA-1K. How the Skyraider II, as well as other fixed-wing crewed special operations aircraft like the AC-130J gunship, might provide support on the edges of a future major conflict is also something SOCOM and AFSOC are actively exploring.
Whatever the future of crewed fixed-wing special operations aviation looks like, a direct replacement for the U-28 is off the table, and crewed ISR aircraft may be increasingly absent from that equation entirely.
From July 25 to August 2, 2026, the Chambley Planet’Air airfield will host the inaugural edition of Chambley Air Passion. More than just an airshow, the event aims to become Europe’s premier gathering for light aviation and a meeting point for ultralight pilots from across the continent.
A new aviation event
For nine days, Chambley Planet’Air will come alive with aircraft departures, pilot gatherings, and aerial activities. With Chambley Air Passion, organizers are introducing a new format that differs significantly from traditional airshows focused on a few hours of flight demonstrations.
The objective is clear: to put Chambley back on the map of major European aviation events and transform the airfield into a vibrant destination where pilots, aviation enthusiasts, and the general public can gather from morning to evening.
“We want to create a true aviation gathering—a place where people come to fly, connect, discover new things, and share a common passion,” the organizers explain.
Bringing together every aviation discipline
The event will showcase the full range of aviation activities based at Chambley. Fixed-wing ultralights, weight-shift trikes, gyroplanes, powered paragliders, sailplanes, paragliders, skydiving, model aviation, and hot-air balloons will all be featured throughout the week.
Mass hot-air balloon launches at sunrise and sunset are expected to be among the highlights of this first edition. Flight demonstrations and aircraft presentations will also help shape the daily program.
Visitors will have access to exhibition areas, the opportunity to get up close to aircraft, and the chance to interact directly with pilots and crews. Flight simulators, educational workshops, aviation training exhibits, and introductory activities will allow attendees to immerse themselves in the world of aviation.
Military units, fire and rescue services, and the French Gendarmerie will also participate by showcasing their equipment and missions.
Making Chambley the summer’s rremier ultralight gathering
Beyond attracting the general public, Chambley Air Passion is primarily designed for pilots themselves. The Lorraine airfield offers several unique advantages: extensive infrastructure capable of accommodating a large number of aircraft, ample parking and camping areas, favorable airspace, and a central location in the heart of Western Europe.
Throughout the event, crews arriving by ultralight aircraft will be able to park on-site, take part in activities, and experience the event from within the aviation community. Organizers hope to create a genuine hub for light aviation enthusiasts.
Within aviation circles, some are already referring to the concept as a future “French Oshkosh” dedicated to European light aviation. The comparison reflects the ambition to recreate a major pilot gathering where camaraderie is just as important as flying itself.
The Ultimate Air Challenge: the event’s centerpiece
The highlight of the inaugural edition will undoubtedly be the official start of the Ultimate Air Challenge 2026, scheduled for August 1 following several days of qualifying rounds held at Chambley.
This European ultralight competition is based on an original concept inspired by offshore yacht racing. Teams must reach sixty checkpoints spread across more than twenty European countries while choosing their own routes.
Navigation, weather management, fuel consumption, regulatory requirements, and strategic decision-making will all be critical factors for competitors hoping to win.
Thanks to a real-time tracking system, spectators at Chambley will be able to follow competitors’ progress throughout the challenge.
A catalyst for regional development
Beyond its sporting and entertainment value, Chambley Air Passion is also intended as a regional development initiative. The event aims to highlight the capabilities of the Chambley Planet’Air facility, attract visitors from across the Grand Est region and neighboring countries, and promote aviation careers and training opportunities.
In a region that hosts relatively few major public events during the summer season, organizers hope to establish the gathering as a permanent fixture on the event calendar. The presence of the Ultimate Air Challenge immediately gives the event a European dimension and international visibility.
A bold vision
With Chambley Air Passion, the Lorraine airfield is doing more than launching another aviation event. It is openly pursuing the goal of becoming, for nine days, the place where Europe’s pilots most want to gather.
As a crossroads, meeting place, and showcase for light aviation, Chambley may well host in the summer of 2026 the event that the French-speaking ultralight community has been waiting for for many years.
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