Future of European FCAS Fighter Project in Doubt

Germany and France have reportedly accepted that the companies involved in developing the Future Combat Air System (FCAS), Europe's next-generation fighter aircraft programme, are unlikely to reach a comprehensive agreement. According to sources, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and French President Emmanuel Macron have concluded that the project is unlikely to proceed in its original form.

However, the countries participating in the programme are expected to continue work on several key technologies, including an advanced drone system and a secure military data network known as the "combat cloud". These elements could continue under the FCAS designation even if the broader fighter aircraft project is scaled back or restructured.

The FCAS programme, estimated to be worth around €100bn ($115bn), was intended to become the flagship project of European defence cooperation. Its goal was to develop a new generation of combat aircraft supported by unmanned systems and connected through advanced communications and data-sharing infrastructure.

Development has long been hampered by disputes between Airbus and Dassault Aviation over technical specifications, the division of responsibilities and control of the programme. According to sources, Merz and Macron discussed the possibility of announcing a major change to the project during the EU-Western Balkans summit in Montenegro.

(reuters, max)