Rumors persist that the trinational Future Combat Air System (FCAS) project may fail. France, Germany and Spain want to develop a fully integrated sixth-generation air combat system by 2040. However, 2045 currently seems more realistic, as the CEO of the French aircraft manufacturer involved, Dassault, has recently stated. It consists of a Next Generation Fighter (NGF), which is to be built by the French company Dassault. On the German side, the company Airbus Defence & Space is responsible for the development of the unmanned escort systems, the so-called „remote carriers“ (drones), which are part of the Next Generation Weapon System (NGWS). The FCAS is the most expensive and largest European aviation project to date, with a volume of up to EUR 100 billion.