A consortium of German defense firms headed by Airbus has presented a strategic position paper to the German government concerning a sixth-generation fighter aircraft initiative. The submission reflects the defense industry’s effort to influence the development of Europe’s next-generation combat aviation program at a time when its future direction remains uncertain.
Operating under the name “Team Gen 6,” the consortium includes Airbus Defence and Space, Autoflug, Diehl Defence, Hensoldt, Liebherr, MBDA, MTU Aero Engines, and Rohde & Schwarz.
According to a spokesperson for Hensoldt, the document outlines the participating companies’ capabilities and prospective roles within the Future Combat Air System (FCAS) program. The existence of the paper was first reported by the Financial Times.
Sources within the industry emphasized that the initiative should not be interpreted as an attempt to establish a separate fighter aircraft program following the difficulties encountered by the Franco-German flagship project aimed at developing a next-generation combat jet.
Speaking on Tuesday, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius acknowledged that challenges surrounding the FCAS program had been apparent for some time. He noted that the German government had already been engaged in discussions with relevant stakeholders for several months to evaluate possible future pathways, although he declined to comment on leadership arrangements or forthcoming decisions.
The German Defense Ministry confirmed that it had received the position paper but chose not to provide additional details. Diehl stated that it intends to offer weapons-system expertise for any future sixth-generation fighter platform but did not elaborate further. MBDA declined to comment, while the remaining companies and the German Chancellor’s office did not respond to requests for comment.
