Germany and Airbus Defense and Space said they’re in the initial stages of a new program to build the Luftwaffe’s sixth generation fighter, which has been named the Future Combat Air System (FCAS).

That was reported by www.telegiz.com.

Germany has advanced the program to build its own sixth generation stealth jet fighter from concept to the initial working stage.

FCAS will replace the Luftwaffe’s aging fleet of Panavia Tornado fighter bombers and complement the Luftwaffe’s Eurofighter Typhoon air superiority fighters.

FCAS will likely be a twin-engine, twin-tail aircraft piloted by two crewmen. The Bundeswehr (federal German armed forces) plans for FCAS to be operational between 2030 to 2040.

FCAS will be a “system of systems” that combines manned and unmanned aircraft into one operational unit.

“In principle, it could be a system of systems — either a manned and unmanned combination,” said Alberto Gutierrez, head of the Eurofighter program.