France will develop a next-generation combat aircraft domestically as a successor to the Rafale, after the joint FCAS project with Germany and Spain collapsed earlier this year. Air and Space Force Chief of Staff Jérôme Bellanger confirmed the move to the National Assembly's defense committee on Wednesday.

The future fighter, dubbed the Avion de Combat du Futur (ACF), is now conceived as a national program with a target of flying conventional missions in 2040. France and Germany agreed to scrap FCAS in June after years of wrangling over specifications and industrial control between Dassault Aviation and Airbus.

Dassault Aviation CEO Éric Trappier has said France has the know-how to build the aircraft with engine partner Safran and electronics firm Thales, well below a budget of 50 billion euros. Bellanger said the aircraft will need to carry the ASN4G hypersonic nuclear cruise missile by 2050.

Bellanger added that work on FCAS had not been wasted, with progress made on stealth, drones, connectivity and the combat cloud that will now be continued on a national basis. France remains open to cooperation with other countries within different frameworks.

Source: Defense News