Europe’s 6th Gen Fighter: Protectionism Over Scale (FCAS)

Europe is trying to build its own next-generation fighter jet: the Future Combat Air System (FCAS) or SCAF in French. On paper, it’s the project that should keep Europe competitive with the US and China well into the 2040s. But in reality, FCAS is being held back by industrial infighting, political rivalry, and deep disagreements between Airbus and Dassault over leadership, workload, and intellectual property. While America’s next programs are moving forward and China is already test-flying prototypes, Europe’s most ambitious defence project risks stalling before it even leaves the runway. In this video, we break down the politics, economics, and history behind FCAS — and why Europe keeps repeating the same mistakes that once split Rafale and Eurofighter. Will Europe finally compromise, or is another defence collapse inevitable? Subscribe for more videos on European defence, strategic autonomy, and the future of EU military power. Chapters 00:00 Intro — Europe’s most ambitious fighter jet project 00:52 What is FCAS? The “system of systems” vision 01:28 The global race: US, China, and GCAP 02:08 Airbus vs Dassault — industrial infighting 03:05 Spain joins: shifting the balance of power 04:09 The IP battle and “crown jewels” problem 04:44 Flashback: Why France left Eurofighter for Rafale 05:45 Political escalation in Paris and Berlin 07:02 Three futures for FCAS: bargain, split, or collapse 08:28 The cost of fragmentation: Europe’s fighter jet problem 09:09 Scale vs inefficiency — why the F-35 dominates 10:20 Why India and Turkey still buy European jets 11:01 The economics of mass production and R&D 12:15 Europe’s strategic autonomy dilemma 12:42 Airbus as the model for consolidation 13:40 Conclusion — can Europe cooperate or compete itself to death? Watch until the end for the key lesson: Europe has the capability to lead in airpower — but only if it works together.