German Chancellor Friedrich Merz told President Emmanuel Macron that Europe’s €100 billion Future Combat Air System (FCAS) joint fighter project will be abandoned. The split follows a stalemate between Dassault Aviation and Airbus Defence, leaving the jet component dead after more than a year of limbo. Executives say the “combat cloud” software may survive, but the flagship aircraft is lost for the continent overall.

With Spain’s Indra Sistemas and France’s Safran already on board, the consortium now faces a crossroads: press ahead alone, find new partners, or abandon the sixth‑generation fighter slated to replace Rafale and Eurofighter Typhoon by 2040. German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius floated four paths, including buying more U.S. F‑35s or joining the UK‑Italy‑Japan Global Combat Air Programme.

Industry analysts warn that Germany would need substantial time and funding to recreate the jet, even if it salvages FCAS technology. Airbus may instead chase a seat in Global Combat Air Programme, offered a “fat bag of cash” and a 150‑jet order, but negotiations could delay the programme past its 2035 target. The FCAS collapse leaves Europe without a coordinated next‑generation fighter roadmap.