Leaders of France and Germany are meeting to discuss the crisis-hit FCAS fighter programme, a 100-billion-euro project on the sidelines of a European Union summit on Wednesday, according to three sources.
Plans to develop a futuristic air combat system in collaboration with Spain are hanging by a thread amid a public dispute over control between France’s Dassault Aviation and Airbus, which represents Germany and Spain.
Continued Cooperation Between France And Germany
The office of French President Emmanuel Macron confirmed that he and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz will meet on Wednesday evening ahead of the March 19-20 summit. It did not disclose whether they would discuss FCAS. A German government source said FCAS is among the topics up for discussion.
Macron co-launched the project with then-German Chancellor Angela Merkel in 2017, with Spain joining later.
German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul stated that he was optimistic that Berlin and Paris would continue cooperation on all important European topics, including security. Germany’s BDLI aerospace industry association called for a “a fighter under German leadership as part of a restructuring of FCAS”.
Concerns Over Project Moving Forward
Current plans call for a digitally connected array of crewed fighters and combat drones to replace the Dassault Rafale and Airbus-backed Eurofighter from 2040. Manufacturers have had disagreements over the next phase involving a flying demonstrator.
Dassault is pressing for clearer control of the core fighter part of the project, including a choice of suppliers, while offering the same latitude to Airbus on parts where it is currently nominally in the lead. Airbus wants existing accords calling for equality between partners to be kept.
Relations between the two groups have degraded to the point that very few involved in the project believe it will progress. Still, any final decisions are up to national leaders, with Macron widely seen as resisting German industry calls for a halt in work.
No Effect On Government Relations
In a visit to New Delhi last month, Macron dismissed the prospect that industrial disputes could overshadow government decisions on the development of strategic weapons.
A collapse in the Franco-German-Spanish project, also known by its French initials SCAF, is likely to trigger a reshuffling of alliances in Europe’s fragmented defence industry.
So far, Germany has cooperated with Britain on modern fighter developments, which this time is involved in the competing GCAP fighter project alongside Japan and Italy. Sweden is also being considered as a potential partner for Airbus if FCAS collapses.
(With inputs from Reuters)
