The FCAS (Future Combat Air System) fighter aircraft system is one of the most ambitious armaments projects in Europe - and at the same time the most expensive.

The alleged costs for the prestige project, which is to replace the Eurofighter and the Rafale by 2040, amount to one hundred billion euros.

Lorenz Hemicker

Editor in politics

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    After a long dispute, the governments of France, Spain and Germany proudly announced in May that they had agreed in principle on the project. Which means first of all that in any case a prototype consisting of a jet and several drones will take to the skies. The time has come in 2027. The Federal Ministry of Defense now intends to conclude another "implementation agreement" with France and Spain before the summer break and the end of the legislative period. The Federal Court of Auditors estimates the costs at just under 4.5 billion euros.

    The prerequisite, however, is that the German Bundestag also approves the money for this.

    Time is of the essence, the federal election campaign has already begun.

    And then there is still a dispute between Defense Minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer (CDU) and the specialist politicians in her government over a long list of armaments projects.

    In this situation, the Federal Audit Office has now interfered in the debate about FCAS and drew the parliamentarians' attention to a number of points that should give them thought.

    In the classified letter to specialist politicians of the budget and defense committees that the FAZ is available and about which the dpa first reported, the auditors recognize the political importance of the project. However, they criticize the general conditions under which it is now to be continued. The rights to use study results have been restricted for use outside the program. In addition, the auditors criticize the fact that no “final negotiated agreement” has yet been submitted to Parliament. Since the negotiations continued, any risks from the drafting of the contract could not be assessed.

    The Federal Audit Office also has doubts about the profitability of an additional prototype in Germany. He recommends checking them out. Finally, the Federal Audit Office also criticizes the fact that the MPs should not be dealt with the project again if a second, optional phase of the project is triggered. The Federal Court of Auditors recommends that the MPs only approve the upcoming conclusion of the implementation agreement provided that the Bundestag is involved before the second phase is triggered, if necessary.

    The Federal Audit Office submitted the recommendations to the Ministry of Defense in advance.

    It confirmed the statements on the state of play and the risks of the project.

    The German wish to use the study results unreservedly could not be enforced in the negotiations with the partners.

    That is why they can only be used "with the consent of the manufacturer and the partner nations".

    In addition, the Ministry pointed out that the approval of the intergovernmental agreement without a final negotiated contract was the only way to ensure the continuation of the project without interruption in view of the end of the legislative period.

    In the letter from the auditors to the MPs, it says: "Whether the risks are acceptable is to be decided in the overall political perspective."