Safran has officially suspended its role in the Future Combat Air System (FCAS) engine project, redirecting all resources to the M88 T-REX engine for the Rafale-F5, ePlaneAI reported.

This marks a decisive French pivot toward national priorities, with the FCAS propulsion pillar collapsing after disputes with Germany and Spain.

Safran had been working with MTU Aero Engines and ITP Aero on the Next Generation Fighter (NGF) engine under the FCAS program. That collaboration has now ended, with Safran confirming that funding for the NGF engine will cease in September 2026. The company’s CEO Olivier Andriès stated that Safran only has the resources to develop one combat aircraft engine, and the French roadmap will take precedence.

The M88 T-REX engine is central to the Rafale-F5 upgrade. First unveiled at the Paris Air Show in 2025, it increases afterburning thrust from 7.5 to around 9 metric tons while retaining the same physical dimensions as the current M88.

This enhancement is designed to sustain Rafale performance in heavy configurations without compromising range. French Air and Space Force officials have indicated that a sixth-generation fighter would require closer to 11 metric tons of thrust, making the T-REX a bridging solution until more advanced propulsion systems are developed.

The decision reflects the breakdown of Franco-German cooperation on FCAS. Disputes over industrial leadership, intellectual property, and operational requirements led to the collapse of the NGF project earlier this year.

The propulsion system was one of the eight technological pillars of FCAS, managed under the EUMET joint venture between Safran and MTU. With the NGF cancelled, the propulsion pillar lost its continuity, leaving MTU and ITP Aero without a clear path forward.

Safran’s move underscores the tension between national defence imperatives and multinational collaboration. By prioritising the Rafale-F5, France is ensuring domestic aerospace capability while risking delays and uncertainty for European defence integration. Analysts warn that this could reshape the competitive landscape in military propulsion, as rivals may seek to fill the gap left by Safran’s withdrawal.

The Rafale-F5 program itself is being accelerated, with France delaying certain Rafale deliveries to redirect resources toward the upgrade. Dassault Aviation has argued for launching a demonstrator by 2031 or 2032, potentially powered by the M88 T-REX. Germany, meanwhile, is pursuing its own sixth-generation fighter initiative under “Team Gen 6,” led by Airbus Defence and Space.

This development highlights the broader strategic shift in European defence. The €100 billion FCAS project was intended to unify European air combat capabilities, but national divergences have fractured the effort.

Safran’s decision to concentrate on the T-REX engine signals France’s determination to secure its own technological roadmap, even at the expense of multinational cohesion.

The industry will closely monitor how this affects both the Rafale program and the trajectory of European defence cooperation.

The suspension of FCAS engine development is not just a technical setback but a geopolitical signal of France’s prioritisation of sovereignty in defence technology.

Agencies