France and Germany have abandoned the idea of jointly developing a new European fighter jet. President Emmanuel Macron and Chancellor Friedrich Merz concluded that the companies involved had not found common ground on the project.
This was reported by Agence France-Presse and Reuters, citing sources among German officials.
In 2017, then-German Chancellor Angela Merkel launched the Future Combat Air System program to develop a sixth-generation fighter jet that would replace the French Rafale and European Eurofighters by around 2040.
But the €100 billion project is beset by disagreements between the participating companies – France’s Dassault Aviation and European aerospace group Airbus, which represents the interests of Germany and Spain – as they wrangle over leadership and control of the development program.
Dassault insisted on being the lead company in developing the aircraft to protect its intellectual property. Airbus insisted on a more equal partnership that would involve significant technology transfer. Paris and Berlin were also known to be at odds over the type of aircraft: France wants a single European model, while Germany says it has different needs, as French planes must be able to carry nuclear weapons and land on aircraft carriers.
The program includes a jet fighter, which is at the center of the controversy, as well as drones and the creation of a “combat internet” for them. Sources told Reuters that development of the latter two elements could continue.
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