Germany and Spain spearhead new sixth-generation fighter effort under Airbus
Airbus announced a German-Spanish led initiative, Team Gen 6, to develop a sixth-generation combat jet after the collapse of the Franco-German NGF program, but the project still needs political and financial backing and additional partners.
Airbus Defence and Space said it has launched a new industrial effort called Team Gen 6 to develop a sixth-generation combat aircraft under German and Spanish leadership. The move follows the recent breakdown of the Franco-German New Generation Fighter (NGF) programme, which had been the crewed component of the pan-European Future Combat Air System (FCAS).
Eight German defence contractors – including Diehl Defence, Hensoldt, Liebherr, MBDA Germany, MTU Aero Engines and Rohde & Schwarz – have signed a strategic positioning paper, and they are now working closely with Spanish firms such as GMV, Indra, ITP Aero and Sener. Airbus said the sixth-generation fighter will require a more agile industrial setup and that the consortium is seeking close alignment with policymakers and air forces.
"We have the capabilities and the capacities. Now, we are looking for close alignment with policymakers and the air forces to drive forward a superior European air combat system for collective security," the X post read.
At the ILA Berlin airshow, Jean-Brice Dumont, head of air power at Airbus Defence and Space, reaffirmed the company’s commitment to a sixth-generation jet, noting that the original NGF plan had become outdated and that new milestones are needed to keep pace with emerging technologies such as unmanned collaborative combat aircraft. He said Airbus has presented several options to ministries of defence and is awaiting guidance.
The NGF project had stalled over disputes about workshare and requirements, particularly France’s demand for carrier-compatible and nuclear-capable capabilities that Germany and Spain did not need. Airbus now points to lessons learned from earlier FCAS phases, including work on a “command fighter” concept that would enable a crewed jet to control drones. Trials involving a Eurofighter equipped with a modified targeting pod are planned, with a goal of having a command-fighter-capable Eurofighter in service by 2029.
Analysts note that while the German-Spanish partnership makes technical sense, the combined demand for new aircraft – estimated at 250-300 jets – may be insufficient to achieve economies of scale, potentially forcing the group to seek additional partners such as the UK-led Global Combat Air Programme or Sweden’s next-generation fighter effort. The future of Europe’s sixth-generation fighter landscape therefore remains uncertain, pending political commitment and funding.