FCAS may survive, but next-gen fighter negotiations all but dead: Industry source
The idea of a Franco-German-Spanish sixth-gen fighter is all but dead, an industry source said on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference.
The idea of a Franco-German-Spanish sixth-gen fighter is all but dead, an industry source said on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference.
Thales, Dassault Aviation and MBDA all conducted their annual investor events over the last two weeks, with the three firms collectively announcing revenues of €27.7 billion ($30.3 billion) in 2023, a massive haul for France’s defense sector.
One analyst described the final agreement between Dassault and Airbus as clearly a “French victory, a German capitulation.”
Indonesian Defence Minister Prabowo Subianto had previously indicated that Indonesia was interested in buying both Rafales and the F-15EX, as part of a major defense spending increase planned for the coming decades.
Considering that French-UAE negotiations have dragged on for a decade, it is difficult to see the sudden agreement for so many aircraft at such a pivotal moment as coincidental.
Egyptian sources tell Breaking Defense that this may not be the last Rafale purchase. Egypt is now eying the Rafale F4. “We are looking to increase the (overall) number to 72 or 100 units, depending on Egypt’s financial capacity.”
While potential Rafale deals are likely for some Arab countries, how are the platforms currently in operation at sharing data?