Dassault and Airbus are continuing discussions on the FCAS. Meanwhile, the DGA and Safran have announced the first tests of an engine for the European aircraft of the future.
FCAS at a standstill? Not really. While discussions continue between manufacturers, engineers at the French defense procurement agency (DGA) are working hard. Late last year, they carried out a test described as “major” for the development of the next FCAS engine. As part of the Turenne defense technology program with Safran, a prototype derived from the Rafale engine was “tested” on the test bench.
> “This unique, highly technical test required five years of preparation to develop the technologies needed for the future FCAS fighter engine,” the DGA said in a statement.
Launched in 2015, the Turenne program is divided into two phases. In the first phase, a digital and 3D-printed model of a turbine was produced, with elements that have been patented. The second phase began in 2019. It allowed “testing the prototype in the field”.
> “This test is specific because of the technique used, called “Thermocolor”, which requires heat-sensitive paint applied to the engine’s high-pressure turbine blades to measure the temperature through a change in color. This paint is very fragile: because of its composition, it can only be subjected to one thermal stress. Afterwards, it loses its properties. Consequently, this type of test is very rare,” explains the DGA.
**Ready to push the button**
These tests were unveiled on January 10, the day Florence Parly, Minister of the Armed Forces, met in Paris with Christine Lambrecht, Minister of Defense of the Federal Republic of Germany. Among the discussions, the subject of major Franco-German capability programs was addressed, in particular the FCAS and the EuroDrone.
> “On the FCAS, there was an agreement between the states (France, Germany and Spain) in August to commit credits of around 3 billion euros in total over the period 2022-2025. At the state level, we are ready to press the contract button,” confirmed Hervé Grandjean, spokesman for the French Ministry of the Army, at a press briefing on January 6.
This contract is divided into seven pillars. Six of them are completed, and the most important one, the NGF (New Generation Fighter), remains to be finalized.
> “There are discussions between Airbus and Dassault with difficulties that we are aware of, which is that of flight controls. We are waiting for an agreement between these manufacturers to proceed with the notification of this contract in order to start the realization of the FCAS demonstrator for 2027. We are confident that discussions will be concluded in the coming weeks,” said Hervé Grandjean.
Regarding the EuroDrone, the Ministry of the Armed Forces confirmed that “everything is ready” in France, Germany and Italy. “We are waiting for the budgetary confirmation on the Spanish side at the notification of this 7 billion euro market” for the delivery of 20 systems in 2028, including at least 4 for France. A system consists of three aircraft and a control station.
The announcement of these engine tests also comes at a time when France is taking over the presidency of the Council of the European Union with the ambition of better defining European defence in its entirety.
On January 12 and 13 in Brest, an informal meeting of European Union defense ministers will be held, along with a joint meeting of foreign ministers. Within this framework, Florence Parly, Minister of the Armed Forces, will meet with Josep Borrell, High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy. Among the topics to be discussed is European industrial collaboration in the field of defense.
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Dassault and Airbus are continuing discussions on the FCAS. Meanwhile, the DGA and Safran have announced the first tests of an engine for the European aircraft of the future.
FCAS at a standstill? Not really. While discussions continue between manufacturers, engineers at the French defense procurement agency (DGA) are working hard. Late last year, they carried out a test described as “major” for the development of the next FCAS engine. As part of the Turenne defense technology program with Safran, a prototype derived from the Rafale engine was “tested” on the test bench.
> “This unique, highly technical test required five years of preparation to develop the technologies needed for the future FCAS fighter engine,” the DGA said in a statement.
Launched in 2015, the Turenne program is divided into two phases. In the first phase, a digital and 3D-printed model of a turbine was produced, with elements that have been patented. The second phase began in 2019. It allowed “testing the prototype in the field”.
> “This test is specific because of the technique used, called “Thermocolor”, which requires heat-sensitive paint applied to the engine’s high-pressure turbine blades to measure the temperature through a change in color. This paint is very fragile: because of its composition, it can only be subjected to one thermal stress. Afterwards, it loses its properties. Consequently, this type of test is very rare,” explains the DGA.
**Ready to push the button**
These tests were unveiled on January 10, the day Florence Parly, Minister of the Armed Forces, met in Paris with Christine Lambrecht, Minister of Defense of the Federal Republic of Germany. Among the discussions, the subject of major Franco-German capability programs was addressed, in particular the FCAS and the EuroDrone.
> “On the FCAS, there was an agreement between the states (France, Germany and Spain) in August to commit credits of around 3 billion euros in total over the period 2022-2025. At the state level, we are ready to press the contract button,” confirmed Hervé Grandjean, spokesman for the French Ministry of the Army, at a press briefing on January 6.
This contract is divided into seven pillars. Six of them are completed, and the most important one, the NGF (New Generation Fighter), remains to be finalized.
> “There are discussions between Airbus and Dassault with difficulties that we are aware of, which is that of flight controls. We are waiting for an agreement between these manufacturers to proceed with the notification of this contract in order to start the realization of the FCAS demonstrator for 2027. We are confident that discussions will be concluded in the coming weeks,” said Hervé Grandjean.
Regarding the EuroDrone, the Ministry of the Armed Forces confirmed that “everything is ready” in France, Germany and Italy. “We are waiting for the budgetary confirmation on the Spanish side at the notification of this 7 billion euro market” for the delivery of 20 systems in 2028, including at least 4 for France. A system consists of three aircraft and a control station.
The announcement of these engine tests also comes at a time when France is taking over the presidency of the Council of the European Union with the ambition of better defining European defence in its entirety.
On January 12 and 13 in Brest, an informal meeting of European Union defense ministers will be held, along with a joint meeting of foreign ministers. Within this framework, Florence Parly, Minister of the Armed Forces, will meet with Josep Borrell, High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy. Among the topics to be discussed is European industrial collaboration in the field of defense.
Translated with http://www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)
Hopefully the Germans get sidelined as soon as possible, so the program has a chance of actually delivering something useful.
How is the performance
Yaaay go France! (and other supporters of project) 😀