Berlin and Paris Abandon Joint Fighter as FCAS Splinters at ILA

Germany and France have scrapped the joint manned fighter at the heart of the Future Combat Air System, ending nine years of cooperation on what was meant to be Europe's flagship sixth-generation combat aircraft and dealing a blow to the continent's ambitions for strategic autonomy.

Chancellor Friedrich Merz informed President Emmanuel Macron that the two countries would not proceed with a shared aircraft, conveying the decision on the sidelines of the EU Western Balkans summit in Montenegro before German officials confirmed it on 8 June. The timing, coinciding with the opening of the ILA Berlin air show, underscored the symbolic weight of a programme valued at more than €100bn and intended to replace the Rafale, Eurofighter Typhoon and Spain's fighter fleet from around 2040.

The collapse follows years of deadlock between Dassault Aviation and Airbus Defence and Space over workshare, intellectual property and leadership. Dassault chief executive Eric Trappier had repeatedly demanded a prime-contractor role, which Airbus rejected as relegating it to subcontractor status. A mediation effort launched in March fell apart by mid-April, and successive Macron-Merz interventions failed to bridge the divide.

Merz has openly questioned whether a manned sixth-generation jet still suits Germany's needs, noting Berlin does not require a nuclear-capable carrier aircraft. Germany's IG Metall union welcomed the decision, with deputy chairman Jürgen Kerner calling it difficult but necessary for the country's standing as an aerospace hub.

The two governments intend to preserve the combat cloud architecture, the networking backbone linking aircraft, drones and satellites, with responsibilities to be divided at a Franco-German ministerial council expected on 17 July. The wider question is whether Europe can muster a credible alternative to Britain's rival GCAP effort, or risk deeper reliance on American platforms such as the F-35.