Merz: Decision on Franco-German fighter jet to come by year-end
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said Wednesday that Berlin and Paris will take a decision on the future of their joint next-generation fighter jet programme, FCAS, before the end of the year.
Speaking to reporters in Berlin, Merz confirmed that the issue will not be on the agenda of this week’s Franco-German government consultations in southern France but stressed the urgency of moving forward. “I hope we will find a solution because we need to develop a new fighter jet in Europe,” he said, News.Az reports, citing Reuters.
The Future Combat Air System (FCAS), designed to replace France’s Rafale and Germany and Spain’s Eurofighter jets by 2040, is projected to cost more than €100 billion ($117 billion). But progress has stalled over disputes between the two countries, with Berlin accusing French industry of blocking the next phase of development by insisting on sole leadership. France’s Dassault Aviation, which oversees the crewed fighter component, has declined to comment, while Airbus and Spain’s Indra remain key partners.
Industry sources say Paris has pushed for an 80 percent share of the work, a demand that has fueled tension within the consortium and raised doubts about launching the crucial second phase of the project — the development of airworthy demonstrators — by year’s end. Dassault CEO Eric Trappier recently argued that FCAS needs clearer leadership and less complexity in decision-making, pointing to Airbus’s involvement as a factor in delays.
Merz is scheduled to meet French President Emmanuel Macron for dinner on Thursday at the Bregancon presidential residence, with further talks planned on Friday in Toulon. A French presidency official said earlier this week that the disagreements over FCAS were “slight” and stressed both countries’ determination to keep the project on track.
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