Intellectual Property Squabbles Cloud Future of European FCAS

摘要

Disagreements between France and Germany appear to be driving a wedge between the partner nations that could affect the future of the trinational European Future Combat Air System. Access to intellectual property to develop the manned combat aircraft element of the Future Combat Air System (FCAS)-known as SCAF in France-appears to be at the heart of a quarrel that threatens to fracture the program before it even begins. Collapse of the program could shake other European defense initiatives to the core, including the four-nation Eurodrone and the Main Ground Combat System to develop a future battle tank. The friction could damage the political hopes of the two countries to become a pillar of European defense sovereignty.