Following the end of the German-French-Spanish FCAS project, the German government is examining several options for a new fighter jet.
Defense Minister Boris Pistorius expressed openness to a position paper from the Team Gen 6 alliance. It comprises eight companies led by Airbus and has submitted a proposal for the Next Generation Weapon System to the Defense Ministry. Another option is joining the British-Italian-Japanese GCAP project. Leonardo chief Lorenzo Mariani described Germany as a particularly valuable partner for this effort. Luftwaffe inspector Holger Neumann advocated for additional F-35 jets from the United States. He pointed to a gap after the delivery of the last Eurofighters in 2035. Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever criticized the project's end as complete stupidity and a waste of time. The German and French governments had announced the termination on Monday.