The FCAS program faces a possible collapse if Airbus and Dassault cannot agree on leadership and governance of the core fighter, with Trappier warning that a French-German-Spanish joint project could stall without cooperation.

Dassault leads the fighter development for France, while Airbus handles the German and Spanish portions, and the overall program is valued at roughly 100 billion euros.

The project, intended to create a European Future Combat Air System, has long been wracked by disputes over workload division between Dassault and Airbus, complicating Europe’s aim to reduce reliance on U.S. defense tech.

European leaders have pushed for a common standard, with Macron advocating a European standard while Scholz questions FCAS’s relevance for Germany’s forces.

Macron has emphasized the need for a European standard, even as leaders reassess the project’s viability and structure for defense cooperation.

In a broader context, German politics are weighing future fighter options, including a two-aircraft approach discussed by IG Metall and BDLI, signaling potential strategic realignments.

Across Germany and France, politicians are debating the merit of multinational arms programs like FCAS, IRIS2, Eurodrone, MGCS, and the Tiger helicopter, which face similar governance tensions.

France points to Rafale export success as validation of its leadership role in FCAS, citing hundreds of orders and a forthcoming Indian deal.

Germany’s position questions France’s nuclear-capable, carrier-capable requirements, while Trappier asserts French agreement on operational needs that may not align with Germany’s priorities.

Berlin worries that France’s requirements—nuclear deterrence and carrier operations—could diverge from Bundeswehr priorities.

Different strategic needs—France seeking a carrier-nuclear capable jet and interoperability, while Germany does not currently require the same configuration.

There is speculation Germany could exit FCAS in favor of Britain’s Tempest/GCAP, a project with Italy and Japan aiming to fly in the mid-2030s.