In recent decades, European countries have repeatedly developed new combat aircraft in the framework of international cooperation. At the same time, a number of such joint projects did not yield the expected results. Recently, preliminary work began on the next international project intended for the future rearmament of troops. France and Germany have agreed to create a multipurpose front-line aircraft with the working title Système de Combat Aérien du Futur (SCAF).
Future and politics
Currently, the air forces of Germany and France are armed with aircraft of various types, both relatively old and new. According to current plans, the operation of the newest machines will be able to continue for a long time. The service life of the equipment will be extended as part of the repair, and the modernization will ensure compliance with current requirements. However, at the end of the thirties, there will be a need for completely new aircraft, which will have to replace the existing technology.
Fighter Dassault Rafale French Air Force. In the future, it is planned to be replaced by SCAF aircraft.
Both countries have long been concerned about the further development of combat aviation, but there are no real results so far. In addition, some attempts to create completely new designs have dubious prospects. So, over the past few years, France and the UK have been working on a joint project FCAS / Future Combat Air System ("Air combat system of the future"). As far as is known, so far only a few studies have been carried out within the framework of this program, and technical design is still a long way off.
At the same time, the future of the FCAS program was in question. The notorious Brexit could hinder effective cooperation between British and French aircraft manufacturers. In addition, London has decided to cut costs on a promising project, while Paris is in no hurry to abandon it. What the future of the FCAS project will turn out to be is unknown. So far, there are grounds for both optimism and negative forecasts. The situation should become clear in the foreseeable future.
The future of the FCAS project depends on a number of specific factors. At the same time, the further development of the French Air Force is directly related to it. Official Paris is not satisfied with such risks, which leads to the need to launch new programs for the development of aviation technology. In addition to the ongoing project, FCAS proposed to launch a new program of a similar purpose. To reduce the risks, it was proposed to start cooperation with another country.
New project
Back in mid-2017, the top leadership of France and Germany announced their intention to start developing another aircraft project for tactical aviation. At that time, it was argued that all the main enterprises of the aircraft building industry and related areas from the two countries would take part in the creation of the new fighter. It was assumed that the main work on the project will begin only in the future. Serial production of the new aircraft will be able to start no earlier than the second half of the thirties.
A promising aircraft model was named SCAF (Système de Combat Aérien du Futur - "Air Combat System of the Future"). It should be noted that France, while launching another project with the participation of a new foreign partner, retained its existing name. The SCAF and FCAS programs actually have the same name, but in different languages.
In early April 2018, it became known that the two countries had launched a new project. After negotiations, the heads of the military departments of the two countries announced the imminent start of preliminary study of the project. For obvious reasons, representatives of the developing countries are not yet ready to reveal the technical appearance of the promising technology. At the same time, certain wishes of customers were repeatedly indicated. A number of objective factors have led to the fact that the future operators of the SCAF aircraft make the highest demands on it. The plans for this project are particularly bold.
It is planned that the bulk of the work under the SCAF program will be undertaken by Airbus and Dassault. At the same time, it is planned to involve a lot of other organizations in the work. First of all, they will have to develop and supply various components for advanced technology. For example, MTU Aero Engines looks like a likely supplier of power plants. This year, she presented a concept design for a new turbojet engine for the FCAS aircraft, which could also be used in the SCAF program.
The exact timetable for the new program, apparently, has not yet been determined. In addition, the final list of its participants remains unclear. To date, only individual assessments of one kind or another have been expressed, as well as opinions on various issues. Apparently, unambiguous answers to pressing questions will appear only in the future. In the meantime, the most different and interesting forecasts are presented.
So, in July this year, at the Farnborough Air Show, bold statements were made about the future of the SCAF project and one of the parallel developments. Not so long ago, the UK announced the beginning of the creation of its own new generation Tempest aircraft, which should become a direct competitor to FCAS. The executive director of the consortium Eurofighter Volker Paltso suggested that in the future these projects will be combined into a common program. FCAS / SCAF and Tempest will eventually become one aircraft, and European countries will not spread their efforts on several different projects.
German Eurofighter Typhoon - may give way to SCAF machines in the future
The head of the organization also spoke about plans to develop the existing Eurofighter Typhoon fighter. In new modifications of this machine, promising solutions and technologies will be introduced that have a positive effect on the characteristics. The consortium hopes that its new developments, planned for implementation in Eurofighter, will find application in the SCAF project in the future.
Plans for the future
Some of the plans for Paris and Berlin have already been announced. As it turned out, the Système de Combat Aérien du Futur project is being developed with a focus on the distant future. No one plans to rush to develop it and try to make a new fighter as early as possible. Preliminary study, design work and further tests with the preparation of serial production will stretch over the next two decades. Until all the necessary work is completed, the air forces of the two countries will have to use the existing equipment, carrying out timely repairs and modernization.
The coming years are supposed to be used for a theoretical study of the appearance of the future aircraft. The entire first half of the twenties will be spent on discussing the requirements and forming the general features of a promising machine. The design is planned to begin only in 2025. This phase of the program will take several more years, and an experienced SCAF fighter is expected to appear in the first half of the thirties. Flight tests will again take several years. The start of mass production and the transfer of equipment to the troops are expected no earlier than the mid-thirties.
Such a timeframe for the implementation of the program leads to curious consequences. According to customers and future developers, the goal of the SCAF program should be the development of a sixth generation fighter. They believe that by 2040 the modern fifth generation will have time to become obsolete, and new threats will appear in the air. In this regard, a fighter for the distant future should immediately belong to the advanced generation. In this context, it is worth recalling that European countries have not been able to create their own versions of the fifth generation fighter.
The desire to develop a sixth generation car raises certain questions that still remain unanswered. For example, one of the signs of the future sixth generation is the possibility of creating an unmanned version of a fighter. However, France and Germany, it seems, do not yet know how their promising SCAF will be managed. Other features of the new aircraft also remain vague.
At least some technical clarity can only be present in the context of the power plant. This year, MTU Aero Engines presented for the first time a concept design for a promising turbojet engine for the FCAS aircraft. Apparently, such a motor without significant modifications can be used in the French-German project SCAF. The project so far has the working title NEFE - Next European Fighter Engine ("Engine for the next European fighter").
The goals of the NEFE project are clear. The new engine should develop more thrust with improved efficiency. It is also necessary to reduce the cost of development, production and operation. Increase in total and TBO is expected. It is proposed to solve the set design problems with the help of already known and completely new ideas. In particular, the application of "bionic design" of some details is declared. It is planned to use the so-called turbine as part of the turbine. matrix composites based on ceramics, which will provide an increase in gas temperatures with a corresponding increase in thrust.
From the point of view of avionics, the new fighter must meet all modern requirements, and in some cases even outstrip them. It is required to provide the ability to monitor the surrounding air or ground situation using various systems. Also, the aircraft must be able to transmit and receive target data. SCAF will carry out combat missions both alone and as part of air groups, including mixed composition.
The fighter must interact with other vehicles in different ways. In addition to traditional collaboration with other manned aircraft, it is expected to obtain the ability to interact with unmanned aerial vehicles. The sixth generation fighter must be able to control several UAVs and distribute different roles between them in the framework of a common combat mission.
Proposed MTU NEFE engine look
It is assumed that the machine will be able to fight air targets as part of intercepting or gaining air superiority. You should also provide the ability to work on ground targets. The range of weapons should include guided and unguided weapons of various types. The weapon must meet the requirements applicable at the time of the commencement of the aircraft's service. Thus, it is quite possible that not yet existing bombs and missiles will be located under the wing or in the internal cargo compartments of the SCAF fighter.
Plans and reality
However, it should be borne in mind that even the main provisions of the future project have not yet been determined. It is planned to spend the next few years on the formation of requirements and determining the general appearance of a promising aircraft, and the results of this kind will appear only by the mid-twenties. Only by 2025 will it become clear how European countries see their new fighter jet. Naturally, such results will become known only on condition that France and Germany do not abandon their project Système de Combat Aérien du Futur.
The events of recent years and the regular change in plans of different countries may be cause for concern about the future fate of the SCAF project. Customers' opinions are constantly changing; the political situation changes and other factors appear that can affect the course of various promising projects. For example, there is a risk of abandoning a new aircraft in favor of purchasing foreign equipment. All these facts add up to a very harsh situation that reduces the likelihood of a successful project completion.
In other words, in the next two decades, Paris and Berlin may change their minds and at any time abandon the SCAF program in favor of other projects. Difficulties in the development of the project or its various components, financial problems or differences in the views of the military of different countries may contribute to the adoption of such a decision. Joint European development projects have already faced such problems, and there is no guarantee that the new program Système de Combat Aérien du Futur will be able to reach the desired finale.
The new international program for the development of a promising sixth generation fighter is of great interest and is of particular importance for the air forces of Germany and France. Nevertheless, it is already clear that she will face a variety of difficulties. The future aircraft, which is to appear in the thirties, must have high performance and meet the requirements of its time. But long before the first flight, he may face a variety of difficulties.
Time will tell whether the European designers will be able to cope with the difficulties of an economic, technical and political nature. The SCAF / FCAS program has a definite chance of success. However, even in the event of its successful continuation, the air forces of several countries will have to operate modern fighters of the aging generation for a long time to come.
