The Russian war in Ukraine has underscored the importance of air superiority in achieving war objectives, demonstrating that fighting without it involves massed armies relying on ground-based artillery firepower, resulting in hundreds of thousands of deaths in the first year. Preventing prolonged and deadly campaigns for Land Forces is critical for Europe, a goal achievable through strong air capabilities. The Western world and Russia have long led in air combat technology. Since the Cold War, other nations, notably China, have advanced their aircraft capabilities to counter Western technologies. Building advanced aircraft requires significant investment in technological warfare and serves as a marker of geopolitical strength. Possessing self-made aircraft demonstrates industrial and financial capacity, as well as determination to achieve defence autonomy. Thus, it is worth analyzing whether Europe has the capability and determination to develop a standard combat air system.