German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and French President Emmanuel Macron have agreed to discontinue plans for a jointly developed next-generation fighter aircraft after months of disagreement between key defence industry partners.
The decision follows discussions between the two leaders during the EU-Western Balkans summit in Montenegro, where officials concluded that negotiations between Airbus, representing Germany and Spain, and Dassault Aviation had reached an impasse.
The fighter aircraft was the central component of the Future Combat Air System (FCAS), a major European defence initiative launched in 2017.
Key developments:
- Germany and France agreed to end development of the FCAS fighter jet.
- Industrial disputes centred on aircraft design, programme control and intellectual property rights.
- Elements of FCAS, including the proposed “combat cloud” network, may continue under separate development.
- The project was estimated to be worth around €100 billion.
The decision comes as European governments face growing pressure to strengthen defence capabilities amid ongoing security concerns across the continent.
ℹ️ Reuters
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