France and Germany have announced the termination of the Future Combat Air System (FCAS) project, a landmark initiative to jointly develop a sixth-generation fighter jet. The French president's office confirmed the decision on Monday, dealing a major blow to European Union defense cooperation efforts.

The project, estimated to cost around $116 billion, collapsed after French firm Dassault Aviation and Airbus, representing Germany and Spain, failed to agree on leadership and control. Rivalry between the two companies is believed to have been a key factor in the breakdown of negotiations.

The Elysee Palace stated that German authorities considered it impossible to put further pressure on the companies involved. The French authorities said they would continue to encourage companies and armed forces to explore ambitious European projects aligned with national security interests.

Launched in 2017 with Spain joining two years later, FCAS aimed to develop a fighter jet to replace French Rafale and Eurofighter aircraft by around 2040, accompanied by new drones and a secure combat data cloud.

Both France and Germany had repeatedly tried to salvage the project, with President Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz discussing the issues just last week. The EU has long struggled with defense cooperation, partly due to concerns over NATO implications.

The collapse comes amid growing uncertainty over the US regime's commitment to NATO, with President Trump allegedly questioning the alliance and threatening military action against Denmark over Greenland. European leaders fear this could weaken continental security and embolden Russia.

Source: www.aljazeera.com