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The Franco-German super jet is "dead"/ Berlin's slap in the face to Paris. Macron demands explanations from Merz

2026-02-10 22:28:13Kosova&Bota SHKRUAR NGA REDAKSIA VOX
The Franco-German super jet has "died".

Discord in the Franco-German alliance over the project to build a new fighter jet, the FCAS. Paris and Berlin are trying to avoid a traumatic split, and Merz is considering the possibility of joining the consortium with Italy, Japan and Great Britain.

The European Union's largest military project, known as FCAS (Future Combat Air System), which aimed to build a sixth-generation fighter jet from France, Germany and Spain, is heading for collapse, according to Politico, which spoke to diplomats and defense officials from several European countries.

FCAS was launched in 2017 by French President Emmanuel Macron and then-German Chancellor Angela Merkel as a symbol of European strategic autonomy in the field of defense. The project envisaged the creation of a system where the main aircraft would be connected through a digital command network (combat cloud) with drones, satellites and other combat systems.

However, from the beginning, the project has faced deep industrial and political conflicts, mainly between the French company Dassault Aviation and the European giant Airbus, based in Germany. Disagreements over the division of labor, technological control and strategic decision-making have led to the project's constant blockage.

Sources close to President Macron have told Politico that an official announcement of the end of the FCAS is now more likely than a relaunch. A French lawmaker who deals with defense issues has openly stated that the project is dead, but that no one wants to admit it publicly.

The situation became even more tense after it emerged that current German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has begun considering other alternatives for Germany's military needs.

During an Italian-German meeting on January 23, Merz asked Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni about the possibility of Germany joining the rival GCAP project, which is being developed by the United Kingdom, Italy and Japan. Italy has reportedly expressed interest in the idea.

After the information was leaked, President Macron personally wrote to Merz to ask for clarification, according to the French newspaper Le Parisien. Paris is making a last-minute effort to keep the FCAS project alive, as a failure would be a serious blow to the credibility of European military cooperation.

Politico reports that Berlin is considering several scenarios, including splitting the development of the aircraft into national projects or completely exiting the FCAS. Another option is for Germany to retain only the most innovative part of the project, the so-called combat cloud, while giving up on building the aircraft itself. Meanwhile, delays have become chronic. The consortium had promised a decision on the future of the project by December 17, but the deadline was missed. An answer is now expected in the coming weeks, perhaps by the end of February.

A possible German move to GCAP would be a major development, strengthening the British-led project and significantly weakening French ambitions. Other countries, including Saudi Arabia, have also shown interest in GCAP, which would broaden the military alliance but also raise political debates.

France and Germany are trying to avoid an open clash, especially at a time when diplomatic relations between the two countries are not good. However, after more than a year of stalemate, it seems that a final decision on the fate of the FCAS is inevitable./ Corriere della Sera


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