DOPPELADLER.COM

German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius said on 9 June 2026 that the Bundeswehr had three primary options to replace the post-2040 capability gap caused by the cancellation of the NGF element of the Future Combat Air System (FCAS)/Système de Combat Aérien du Futur (SCAF) programme.

“There are several options. One is to order additional F-35s to bridge the gap or for whatever other purpose. The second option is to join another existing ongoing international project, or to launch our own project under German leadership, led by Airbus and other partners. Those are basically the three options on the table. A fourth option may emerge, but I don't want to talk about that right now,” Pistorius told the DW Politics news channel in Germany, adding that no decisions have yet been taken.