Italian defence contractor Leonardo is positioning itself in case the joint German‑French fighter‑jet programme FCAS fails. Its chief, Roberto Cingolani-who runs the next‑generation GCAP project with BAE Systems from the UK and Mitsubishi Industries from Japan-told the “Spiegel” that he supports a larger consortium that can bring in new members and additional technology and resources.
GCAP aims to build a sixth‑generation fighter paired with unmanned drones and assisted by artificial intelligence. Cingolani said this will be “as challenging as the moon landing” but that the consortium could help develop the drones, command and control systems and swarm intelligence. He sees Airbus as a possible partner and said that governments will need to decide how they fit in. “But Airbus could use its expertise” he added.
Airbus Defence and Space is already working with French Dassault Aviation and Spanish Indra Sistemas on FCAS. Germany and France, however, have argued over leadership, work division and system requirements. Airbus and the German government recently floated a solution involving two jets within FCAS. Cingolani finds such a solution “charming” and imagines that Airbus-or another maker such as Sweden’s Saab with its Gripen-could join GCAP with a smaller, faster jet.
At the same time, Cingolani expressed doubts that Europe can accommodate two new air‑combat systems. “Sixth‑generation fighters won’t be bought like potatoes” he said. With China and the United States already producing-and selling in their spheres of influence-only Europe, a few Gulf states and Japan remain as potential markets.
He declined a possible merger between European arms makers such as Leonardo, Rheinmetall, or BAE Systems. “I share a similar vision for the future with Rheinmetall’s Armin Papperger” he said, but Europe is in a crisis because of the Ukraine war, making a merger untimely. He believes joint ventures are a wiser path.
Cingolani criticised Germany’s growing leadership claims in European defence policy. He admitted the Germans can be excellent but argued that money does not automatically translate into leading roles. In the weapons industry the focus is now on technology leadership, and “the race has just begun”.
