The Bundeswehr issued a press release on its official website in which, in the context of the ILA-2024 air show held in Berlin, it is said that the European FCAS (Future Combat Air System) program has received a new participant. So, Belgium joined France, Germany and Spain — first in observer status.
The Bundeswehr notes that a corresponding declaration of intent was signed at the air show, and now the parties are studying how Belgium's industrial potential can be used in the project. Moreover, this country already has access to all data and events within the framework of the FCAS project and has the right to participate in both discussions and strategic decision-making.
In addition, another important decision for the development of the FCAS program was officially fixed at the ILA, namely — work on the STAR (System and Teaming Advanced Research) demonstrator of the sixth-generation fighter, which will be based on the two-seater Eurofighter aircraft.
“The fighter will receive a modified cockpit, as well as an avionics and communications unit consisting of several modules. The goal is to test, develop and integrate new technologies for the interaction of manned and unmanned aerial vehicles in order to prepare them for development in the European FCAS”, — they say in the Bundeswehr.
By the way, regarding drones or “faithful minions”, which will accompany fighters on the battlefield in the future — at the ILA air show, a full-scale mock-up of such a drone from Airbus, which is primarily intended for the German air force, was also demonstrated.
Another topic that FCAS participants discussed at ILA was artificial intelligence — in particular, Airbus emphasized that such technologies are necessary, but at the same time they must be used “consciously and responsibly”. The company emphasizes that a number of scenarios will have to be automated, but NATO guidelines must be followed.
The German Air Force also emphasizes that the service still wants pilots to be able to make certain important decisions, and should to receive as much necessary information as possible in real time, which could be processed by artificial intelligence.