[Avionics Today 11-10-2014] The U.K. Ministry of Defense, in collaboration with the Armaments Procurement Agency of the French Ministry of Defense, has allocated $190 million to the following companies to continue design studies for the Future Combat Air System (FCAS): Dassault Aviation, BAE Systems, Thales, Selex ES and Rolls-Royce Snecma. This future combat aircraft, which aims to bring new levels of capability to air forces, could enter service toward 2030, according to a statement released by Rolls-Royce Snemca.
Following the demonstration program preparation phase, this contract marks the start of a two-year feasibility phase, designed to study the operational parameters for the future combat aircraft. Until now, studies have focused on the development of new technologies and the assessment of new system architectures, while the feasibility phase will allow companies to undertake in-depth studies to evaluate the aircraft’s operational systems, in line with the joint operational requirements of France and the United Kingdom.