'SCAF is dead': Sixth-gen Franco-German fighter is all but over, officials and analysts say

• Comments from German Chancellor Friedrich Merz may represent the unofficial pulling of the plug on the effort to produce a sixth-gen fighter for France, Germany and Spain

Article Summaries:

• German Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s recent remarks have been interpreted as an unofficial signal that Germany is withdrawing from the SCAF program, a joint sixth‑generation fighter project involving France, Germany and Spain. Officials and analysts now regard the initiative as effectively dead. The SCAF effort, aimed at producing a next‑generation aircraft, had already faced budgetary and technical hurdles. With Germany stepping back, the remaining partners confront uncertainty about whether to continue the program. The decision reflects broader shifts in European defense procurement and the prioritization of other projects.

Sources:

• https://breakingdefense.com/2026/02/scaf-is-dead-sixth-gen-franco-german-fighter-is-all-but-over-officials-and-analysts-say/