France France and Germany abandon joint fighter jet project as companies unable to reach agreement

[IC3M@N FX]

FCAS: Deutsch-französischer Kampfjet ist endgültig gescheitert

Es wird laut Handelsblatt-Informationen keine Zusammenarbeit zwischen Airbus und Dassault beim Flugzeugsystem FCAS geben. Der Schuldige steht aus Berliner Sicht fest.

www.handelsblatt.com

Franco-German fighter jet project has definitively failed
Chancellor Merz has decided: There will be no cooperation between Airbus and Dassault on aircraft manufacturing. This brings a long period of uncertainty to an end. From Berlin's perspective, the party to blame is clear.

FCAS is Dead

 

[Fuzuli NL]

FCAS: Deutsch-französischer Kampfjet ist endgültig gescheitert

Es wird laut Handelsblatt-Informationen keine Zusammenarbeit zwischen Airbus und Dassault beim Flugzeugsystem FCAS geben. Der Schuldige steht aus Berliner Sicht fest.

www.handelsblatt.com

FCAS is Dead

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Disagreements between Dassault and Airbus​

Due to disagreements over the division of labor, uncertainty about its role as prime contractor for the Next Generation Fighter (fighter jet), and intellectual property, the CEO of Dassault Aviation publicly mentioned the possibility of a Plan B with a development similar to the nEUROn project when he spoke to the French Senate in March 2021.

The issue of intellectual property and a possible transfer of technology from France to Germany has led to a dispute between Airbus and Dassault. The French side feared losing its economic and technological leadership as the EU's leading aerospace company if German and Spanish companies were to jointly take over two-thirds of the development and production. In May 2021, the participating nations mutually agreed to continue the FCAS project. Several sources from the defense industry were contacted by the French business newspaper Challenges and denied that an agreement had been reached. One source described the report of an agreement as "a communication stance" and "misleading statement" by the three countries. The CEO of Dassault said there was "no agreement on the budget or intellectual property."[29]

At the Paris Air Show in July 2025, Éric Trappier, CEO of Dassault Aviation, once again called for a larger share of the FCAS for French industry. In doing so, he called into question existing agreements on the division of tasks. He hinted at an alternative exit from the program. Shortly thereafter, it became known that Dassault Aviation would receive 80% of the FCAS workshare, which would be a significant disadvantage for the German defense industry.[30]
Shortly thereafter, then-Armed Forces Minister Lecornu visited Germany and met with his counterpart Boris Pistorius. The German Federal Ministry of Defense issued a press release addressing issues (diplomatically referred to as “challenges”) with the FCAS and Main Ground Combat System projects.[31] On October 5, 2025, Pistorius publicly threatened to end the FCAS project. He said he would meet with his colleagues from France and Spain as soon as the next French government was in place.[32]

In mid-November 2025, French Defense Minister Catherine Vautrin said publicly that Germany currently did not have the capacity to build a fighter jet.[33] Mediation between the companies failed in early 2026,[34] with an expectation that politicians in France and Germany would then decide the fate of the project.[35] Alternatively, some have speculated Germany and Spain could join the Global Combat Air Program (GCAP), an advanced project involving the United Kingdom, Italy, and Japan.[36]

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If Dassault wanted to cooperate with TAI, the latter would bring so much more to the table regarding time frame, scheduling, reduced red tape, and quality.
We are behind France when it comes to aviation and engine technology, especially Dassault, and Safran (SNECMA) but we have innovative tech from TAI, ASELSAN, METEKSAN and HAVELSAN. Also cost and expenditures won't be anyway near Airbus'.

 

[Pokemonte13]

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Disagreements between Dassault and Airbus​

Due to disagreements over the division of labor, uncertainty about its role as prime contractor for the Next Generation Fighter (fighter jet), and intellectual property, the CEO of Dassault Aviation publicly mentioned the possibility of a Plan B with a development similar to the nEUROn project when he spoke to the French Senate in March 2021.

The issue of intellectual property and a possible transfer of technology from France to Germany has led to a dispute between Airbus and Dassault. The French side feared losing its economic and technological leadership as the EU's leading aerospace company if German and Spanish companies were to jointly take over two-thirds of the development and production. In May 2021, the participating nations mutually agreed to continue the FCAS project. Several sources from the defense industry were contacted by the French business newspaper Challenges and denied that an agreement had been reached. One source described the report of an agreement as "a communication stance" and "misleading statement" by the three countries. The CEO of Dassault said there was "no agreement on the budget or intellectual property."[29]

At the Paris Air Show in July 2025, Éric Trappier, CEO of Dassault Aviation, once again called for a larger share of the FCAS for French industry. In doing so, he called into question existing agreements on the division of tasks. He hinted at an alternative exit from the program. Shortly thereafter, it became known that Dassault Aviation would receive 80% of the FCAS workshare, which would be a significant disadvantage for the German defense industry.[30]
Shortly thereafter, then-Armed Forces Minister Lecornu visited Germany and met with his counterpart Boris Pistorius. The German Federal Ministry of Defense issued a press release addressing issues (diplomatically referred to as “challenges”) with the FCAS and Main Ground Combat System projects.[31] On October 5, 2025, Pistorius publicly threatened to end the FCAS project. He said he would meet with his colleagues from France and Spain as soon as the next French government was in place.[32]

In mid-November 2025, French Defense Minister Catherine Vautrin said publicly that Germany currently did not have the capacity to build a fighter jet.[33] Mediation between the companies failed in early 2026,[34] with an expectation that politicians in France and Germany would then decide the fate of the project.[35] Alternatively, some have speculated Germany and Spain could join the Global Combat Air Program (GCAP), an advanced project involving the United Kingdom, Italy, and Japan.[36]

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If Dassault wanted to cooperate with TAI, the latter would bring so much more to the table regarding time frame, scheduling, reduced red tape, and quality.
We are behind France when it comes to aviation and engine technology, especially Dassault, and Safran (SNECMA) but we have innovative tech from TAI, ASELSAN, METEKSAN and HAVELSAN. Also cost and expenditures won't be anyway near Airbus'.

To give some credit to the french they know more than airbus when it comes to designing a fighter jet so i would trust a french ''6th gen'' more than an airbus jet but still disrespectful they want all the revenue but none of the research cost. If they go at it alone they will spend money that they dont have maybe they will get the indians or maybe gulf states(saudi) to finance the project for limited ToT.
Germany joining Gcap is also unlikely as a co developer only maybe subcontractor for parts like us in JSF project.
Spain now buying kaan is more likely than ever with some spanish subsystem but overall spanish percentage would be much lower compared to hürjet.
At the end of the day just an average French-German project(Tiger, NH90 i know airbus but anyway, MGCS).
Most likely we will field our 6th gen before they do.

 

[Passenger]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/2064006265454379436

FCAS is dead.

 

[Fuzuli NL]

To give some credit to the french they know more than airbus when it comes to designing a fighter jet so i would trust a french ''6th gen'' more than an airbus jet but still disrespectful they want all the revenue but none of the research cost. If they go at it alone they will spend money that they dont have maybe they will get the indians or maybe gulf states(saudi) to finance the project for limited ToT.
Germany joining Gcap is also unlikely as a co developer only maybe subcontractor for parts like us in JSF project.
Spain now buying kaan is more likely than ever with some spanish subsystem but overall spanish percentage would be much lower compared to hürjet.
At the end of the day just an average French-German project(Tiger, NH90 i know airbus but anyway, MGCS).
Most likely we will field our 6th gen before they do.

The Tiger and NH-90 were both big flops, riddled with problems.
They looked awesome and had good performances on paper but reality was different.
Take Australia and Norway as examples.

 

[mehmed beg]

I don't know what took so long for the French to f off these German fraudsters
How many billions it coated French industry, German decision to send 10s of billions for Russian gas or now American? It coated the Germans also. What German lobbying did for French nuclear industry, how many useless legislations?
Even military industry, the main aim of Germany is to give the most important segments of any project to USA and Israel, no?
What exactly Europeans want? Britain basically leasing its nuclear arsenal, while France is spending 7 to 8 bn for upkeep and upgrade of those systems?
So that Finns and Germans can sell 1000s armoured vehicles? Czechs and Polish opt for American nuclear reactors???
Besides, France has 2nd largest EEZ in the world and with that, in a way maintains European influence.
Norway wants, just in the case of crisis that French nuclear assets be stationed on Norway territory.
Norway is so generous that they will build 2 3 hardened bunkers, for what? France would risk its existence for for cheap ass buildings?
France can make air engines , frames and avionics. They just need someone to share the costs.
Which normal country would allow to be endlessly donkey for these morons?
Even helicopters , H225 is excellent product and Gazelle is still in service. Probably, all the problems came from others .
It is really shame that France for some reason chooses wrong friends. Probably even that isn't by " mistake".

 

[Huelague]

To give some credit to the french they know more than airbus when it comes to designing a fighter jet so i would trust a french ''6th gen'' more than an airbus jet but still disrespectful they want all the revenue but none of the research cost.

This inspiration come to 'frogs' mind. Eight years later!

 

[Saithan]

​

The project was seen as a key test of European efforts to work more closely on defence as they seek to present a united front in the face of a hostile Russia at a time of souring ties with the United States.​

France and Germany said on Monday they had agreed to abandon a joint fighter jet programme due to disagreements between the companies involved, in a blow to European efforts to boost defence cooperation.


The Future Combat Air System (FCAS) programme was launched in 2017 to replace France's Rafale jets and the Eurofighter planes used by Germany and Spain.
It was to be complemented by drones, sensors and digital communications systems designed to operate together in a networked battlespace.

The project was seen as a key test of European efforts to work more closely on defence as they seek to present a united front in the face of a hostile Russia at a time of souring ties with the United States.

But the multi-billion-dollar programme was beset by disagreements between the firms involved: France's Dassault Aviation and Airbus, which represents Germany and Spain.

The project was long regarded as one of Europe’s most important industrial and security policy undertakings. But for years it was slowed by conflicts between the companies involved, and the dispute over leadership, workshare and intellectual property rights ultimately proved insoluble. While Dassault insisted on taking the lead on the fighter aircraft, Airbus refused to accept the role of junior partner.

Further complications arose from differing military requirements. France insisted on a carrier-capable, nuclear-armed aircraft for its armed forces, something Germany saw no need for. Proposals to develop two different aircraft variants within the programme failed to win joint approval.

The announcement comes despite calls for Europe to integrate its fragmented militaries more closely as geopolitical turmoil worsens.
Russia's war against Ukraine is in its fifth year, while European countries are increasingly worried about US security commitments to the continent under President Donald Trump.

Work on the Combat Cloud is set to continue​

Although the joint jet has been scrapped, the FCAS project is not being wound up entirely. According to government sources, development of the so-called Combat Cloud is to go ahead.
This is a digital network intended to link aircraft, drones and other weapons systems.

The French and German defence ministries are set to draw up a plan for defence cooperation "focused on a few realistic and relevant projects" at a forthcoming meeting, the official added.
For Airbus, the decision opens the door to the search for new partners. Industry insiders cite, among others, Swedish defence group Saab and the British-Japanese-Italian fighter jet programme as potential cooperation options.

Dassault, for its part, is likely to continue developing the next generation of the Rafale on its own.


With the failure of the joint combat aircraft, one of the most ambitious European armaments ventures of recent years comes to an end.

At the same time, the decision marks a change of course: instead of a single shared aircraft, Berlin and Paris now appear set to pursue separate national designs under a common technological umbrella.

Merz had said earlier this year that he would "do everything in my power, and fight until the very last moment, to get joint European projects off the ground here, and above all German-French projects".

Speaking in April after talks with Merz, Macron had denied the project was dead.

"We are continuing to move forward. Europe has never needed unity, greater independence and greater sovereignty more than it does now," he said.

France and Germany abandon joint fighter jet project

The project was seen as a key test of European efforts to work more closely on defence as they seek to present a united front in the face of a hostile Russia at a time of souring ties with the United States. #EuropeNews

www.euronews.com

 

[Saithan]

Why the Franco-German FCAS fighter jet project failed

Planned as Europe's biggest joint defence project, FCAS has been abandoned after French and German companies failed to resolve years of disputes, despite repeated political intervention. #EuropeNews

www.euronews.com

 

[Huelague]

Now, Germans will do it alone .

 

[Saithan]

Now, Germans will do it alone .

Source ?

I do not believe that Germany will enter such a venture alone. The cost is far too great compared to what they will get out of it.

I believe that Germany will do what is necessary without going overboard because Germany still believes in the power of production, so I would think they'd find other partners. Spain, UK, Germany, Italy could in theory create a quartet.

 

[Huelague]

Source ?

I do not believe that Germany will enter such a venture alone. The cost is far too great compared to what they will get out of it.

I believe that Germany will do what is necessary without going overboard because Germany still believes in the power of production, so I would think they'd find other partners. Spain, UK, Germany, Italy could in theory create a quartet.

I read it yesterday in a news magazine.
Airbus, Hensoldt, MTU and Liebherr will be involved.

 

[Spitfire9]

Spain will have planned funding for FCAS. I am under the impression that KAAN would benefit from more funding. Is there any chance of Spain becoming involved?

 

[Pokemonte13]

Spain will have planned funding for FCAS. I am under the impression that KAAN would benefit from more funding. Is there any chance of Spain becoming involved?

Kaan development speed cannot be quicker than it is right now but spains involvement would give it a better foundation because it would have more industrial capacity/participation -> more customers.

 

[NEKO]

Now, Germans will do it alone .

If Germany dont want to join either UK or France, maybe Sweden?

 

[Pokemonte13]

If Germany dont want to join either UK or France, maybe Sweden?

same issues germany wants a runway queen and sweden probably a multirole.
Also time is off the essence rather than money