The ambitious Franco-German project to build a next-generation fighter jet, the Future Combat Air System (FCAS), has been scrapped after years of infighting between manufacturers Dassault Aviation and Airbus Defence and Space, officials confirmed Monday.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and French President Emmanuel Macron agreed last week that the companies failed to resolve key disputes, dealing a major blow to European defense cooperation efforts.

Launched in 2017 with a price tag of over €100 billion ($115 billion), FCAS was intended to replace Eurofighters and Rafales by around 2040. It was once hailed as a symbol of Franco-German military unity.

The project was plagued by disagreements over control of the next phase, intellectual property rights, and differing requirements for the aircraft. Dassault demanded significantly more control than Airbus was willing to concede.

The collapse comes as Western military officials warn of a mounting threat from Russia and the US regime pressures Europe to take care of its own defense. Rearming Europe has been a priority for EU members since Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Germany and France now plan to focus on a Combat Cloud linking aircraft, drones and sensors. Defense officials are due to meet in mid-July to reset cooperation around smaller projects. Critics say the failure represents a serious setback for European security policy.

Source: www.dw.com