Collapse of €100 Billion Fighter Jet Project Exposes Strategic Rift Between Berlin and Paris

A conflict of interests between Paris and Berlin has led to the termination of a joint aviation project, raising questions about Europe's ability to wage a war against Russia. Berlin and Paris Put Their Ambitions Above European Interests Germany and France have cancelled their joint €100 billion sixth-generation fighter jet program, Reuters reports. The FCAS project, launched in 2017 by former Chancellor Angela Merkel and President Emmanuel Macron, envisaged Airbus and Dassault Aviation working together on a single fighter aircraft model. Had the program succeeded, it would have enhanced interoperability among European armed forces and, in the long term, pushed American fighter jets out of the European market. At first glance, that would appear to align perfectly with Europe's current strategic objectives. However, the project reached a dead end after Dassault Aviation firmly insisted on serving as the sole lead contractor. Meanwhile, Germany's new aviation strategy formally established that Airbus must act as a co-leader in any national combat aircraft program. That left no room for compromise with a France seeking a dominant role.