To handle the Future Combat Air System (FCAS) undertaking, the following project management structure is envisaged: In October a so called combined project team (CPT) should start its work in Paris (France is the FCAS lead nation). This CPT consists of a program division and an operational division.

Task of the first-mentioned is to manage the technical and administrative aspects of the FCAS – e. g. technology-assessment, processing of contracts, finance- and risk management. The operational division is the place for the armed forces of the projcet states (France, Germany, Spain) to bring in line their demands to the Future Combat Air System – also by consultation of experts. For solving constroversies there should be a special steering commitee within the CPT. According to the German MoD a high level coordination board is foreseen for „project overlapping aspects“ (I’m trying to figure out more precisely what that means…). Finally there will be a steering commitee – staffed with the armament state secretaries – which is responsible for strategic-political decisions in front of the CPT management core. „With the industry there will be a continuous coordination on all levels of this project management structure“ a spokesperson of the German ministry of defense told the author. Beside the FCAS project with Germany and Spain, France is also pursuing a progam named „Future Combat Air System / Technological Demonstration Cooperation“ with Great Britain. This undertaking is focused on unpiloted aerial vehicle technology, basing on the drone projects of its main industry partners – BAE’s TARANIS and Dassault’s NEURON.