Old "allies"
One of the main aviation news April of this year was the news about the agreement between France and Germany, aimed at including a new generation of fighter. About This was announced at the International Aviation and Space Fair ILA-2018, which was held in Berlin. Комплекс получил обозначение future air combat system (SCAF).
The word "complex" is the best it reveals the essence of the agreement. And it's not even, that every modern jet fighter is a set of complex systems. The agreement should be "a key element of European security". It will bring together the development of the fighter, a number of unmanned vehicles, and interaction system, monitoring and control. As an approximate date of the appearance of the new aircraft was named 2040 th, but there is no guarantee, it really is the case and that the test dates will not be transferred. In the case of so complex and expensive designs that can not be ruled out.
About the future he knows little fighter. Now two major players, and they are more than weighty. This pan-European aircraft builder Airbus and national French Dassault Aviation. "We are ready to talk to our defense ministries, and our authorities: we are ready, Now down to business ", - said General Director of Dassault Aviation Eric TRAP. "First violin" is precisely the company from France. There is nothing surprising in this: behind her creation of globally recognized machines, as the Dassault Mirage 2000 и Dassault Rafale.
Dassault Rafale
Strictly speaking, in modern Europe, only France, a country of, having a full cycle of fighter aircraft. British aircraft industry is no longer able to develop and mass production of such vehicles. The well-known "Harrier", even in the '60s it was difficult to be called "King of Heaven", and after the British moved on to co-operation with other European countries. In the case of the German national military aviation after World War II and it did become "taboo". The arrival times of fear to a new Hitler long gone, but cooperation in this matter with other States for the Germans, and now a higher priority, than purely national aviation.
«Дассо» и New Fighter
News about new fighter itself did not in itself a surprise. The signing of the contract could happen in a year, and, eg, two. With the vague wording of "the threat of a new war in Europe" and unclear implementation deadlines. Truly surprised by the concept of a new generation of fighter, presented by the corporation Airbus Defense and Space in November last year. Impressive presentation gave an overview of the machine with a straightforward name New Fighter. It must become part of a vast military program. According to plan, fighters will interact with both the aircraft and the satellite constellation AEW, and the new UAV. Concept painted with a clear focus towards invisibility, what, of course, in common with the F-22 and the Russian PAK FA. On the other hand, thesis about the "theft of technology", voiced avialyubiteley, here is completely wrong. Shown on the image plane formed by the aerodynamic configuration "tailless". Very popular with Europeans. At the same time, and the F-22, and F-35, and Su-57 have normal aerodynamic scheme. Availability influx analog front portion with a rotary, which we see on the PAK FA, Nor is serious evidence, that the European aircraft manufacturers have lost their identity.
New Fighter
Question, generally, in a different. Featured New Fighter may not have any relation to the future fighter. Individual achievements engineers "Dassault" can be used, but more likely will be only demonstrated the concept of beautiful picture, and create a European fighter will be the future, what is called, from scratch.
In this regard, one can not say about the main trend of recent years. Namely the creation of unmanned aerial vehicles. So far they have proved themselves perfectly as a scout and as a tool for precision strikes on land. But this is. In future, probably, fighter, too, will be unmanned. So New Fighter (and he declared primarily as a manned machine) It may be incorrect, purely conceptual.
Another option, which often pay attention: the possibility of co-existence on the same basis of manned and unmanned fighter. When a controlled aircraft acts as a control center "flock" drones. An interesting approach, which can get a start in life. But the fact, that in the case of SCAF'om will choose this destination. At this stage, generally useless to make any conclusions. More or less will be judged, when (if) present technology demonstrator. offhand: will have to wait five or ten years at least. During this time, the role of disembodied systems will only increase.
New Fighter
Attempt number five
Finally, the most important thing. the, without discussing what, basically, не имеет смысла говорить про future air combat system. SCAF - is not the first attempt to create 'something European'. Now few people remember, that BAE Systems has worked in the 1990s on a program FOAS (Future Offensive Air System), which was closed only in 2005. We wanted to create an advanced combat aircraft to replace Tornado GR.4 the Royal Air Force. Later, the program was renamed DPOC (Deep and Persistent Offensive Capability) and finally closed in 2010 year. All, what remains of the British undertakings, - a full-scale mock-up of future combat aircraft. Lessons learned are applied in the case of Taranis UAV. Well, the French decided to create their nEUROn, generally, similar to the British development. Taranis и nEUROn, however, are relevant to a new generation of high-grade fighters mediated. Still, the different classes of combat vehicles.
here, perhaps, it would be appropriate to recall, that once the Eurofighter Typhoon and Dassault Rafale were to be "single entity". AT 1983 year at a meeting of chiefs of staff of the French Air Force, Germany, Great Britain, Italy and Spain have decided to create a consortium of "Eurofighter", which would create a new generation of European fighter. Already at the stage of formation of tactical-technical task, participants began to argue: France, unlike other, I needed not only land, but also a carrier-based aircraft. They are not satisfied with the weight and some other parameters. The result is well known to all of us: France withdrew from the consortium, creating in the end a "Rafale".
But we should not forget, then what was the Cold War. It would seem, not the best time for disagreements between the allies. Anyway, in the face of a real threat from the East Europeans agree it was easier, than now, when a military threat to the EU ephemeral, and the chances of actually oust US fighter aircraft the world market is not very high.
In such circumstances, we can not exclude a new "divorce" between Germany and France. Another quite possible option - to pull the brakes on the project. Under bravura speeches of German politicians of the merits of the F-35, to the purchase of which Germany is strongly inclined in recent years. Both of these scenarios, of course, It is not the only, but so far looks the most realistic.
F-35
Until, while Europe will not be able to develop your own vector of development, independent of the United States, talk about such an ambitious project at all difficult. In an extreme case,, Americans will try to drive a wedge in the agreement between the French and the Germans, but so far even that they do not need. Lockheed Martin is feeling quite confident on the global market for aircraft. And Europe can offer less every year.
