German Chancellor Friedrich Merz announced that Germany and France will continue to develop the cloud solution created as part of the joint project for the Future Combat Air System (FCAS), a European next-generation fighter jet that failed earlier this year.
“A month ago, we finally came to the conclusion that our planned joint project for the FCAS fighter jet had failed due to disagreements between industrial companies. We both did not close our eyes to this sobering reality. We have drawn the necessary conclusions“, Merz said at a joint press conference with French President Emmanuel Macron after the Franco-German Council of Ministers. This, he said, is “a manifestation of a reliable partnership“ between the two countries.
“Today we launched a new work plan for defense cooperation, which our ministers developed at our request“, the German Chancellor noted. As Merz explained, it is concrete, realistic and targeted and sets the contours of cooperation between the two countries in the coming months and years. “For example, we will continue to develop the important cloud solution developed for the FCAS in a different format. We will cooperate more closely where it is crucial for our security“, Merz said.
This, he noted, applies in particular to the integrated air defense system and long-range weapons that the countries are developing together. “At the same time, we are using this opportunity to strengthen our joint industrial positions – for example, through the Franco-German armored vehicle manufacturer KNDS. "This increases our security and brings our countries even closer together," the German Chancellor concluded.
On June 8, the DPA news agency, citing sources in the German government, reported that Merz and Macron had agreed to cancel the multi-billion euro project to develop the FCAS, a next-generation European fighter jet. The two sides concluded that Dassault and Airbus were unable to find common ground on the development of a combat aircraft. Merz therefore suggested that Macron abandon further development of the fighter jet. According to the plan, the FCAS was to replace the Bundeswehr's Eurofighter jets and the French Rafale fighter jets by 2040.