Spain to join Future Combat Air System - FCAS program

Spain to join Future Combat Air System - FCAS program.

According to the spanish media outlet "El Pais", the spanish Minister of Defense, Margarita Robles, will sign an agreement to join the French-German Future Combat Air System (FCAS) during the coming NATO meeting in Bruxelles.

Spain has shown a strong interest in the FCAS since the beginning, but former Defense Minister, María Dolores de Cospedal, had not previously obtained authorization to participate in the program.

The FCAS program aims to replace the Eurofighter and Rafale fighter aircraft, from 2040. Recently the FCAS program has taken a good step forward when France and Germany awarded a contract to Dassault and Airbus to start the Joint Concept Study (JCS).

Thanks to this choice, Spain will be able to guarantee a new generation combat aircraft to its air force considering that it will not join the F-35 program. SpAF has asked the MoD to acquire 80 new Eurofighter jets to replace the fleet of old Hornets. This option confirms the previous analysis posted on BBF.

Written by Matteo Sanzani
Image: Dassault Aviation