Germany\u2019s aerospace industry warned that if French demands to take a dominating role in Europe\u2019s next-generation fighter jet project are agreed to, it will mark the end of national fighter jet production for Berlin.<\/p>\n
Progress on the joint Future Air Combat System (FCAS) project has stalled due to a dispute between France and Germany\u2019s aviation giants. Both leading contractors, Germany\u2019s Airbus Defence and France\u2019s Dassault, have publicly aired their disagreements about the envisioned work.<\/p>\n
The German Aerospace Industries Association BDLI fears the end of German fighter jet manufacturing should their French partners succeed in wresting total leadership over development of the jet part of the air combat system, according to an internal report seen by defence outlet hartpunkt<\/a>.<\/p>\n France\u2019s prime contractor in the \u20ac100 billion project, Dassault Aviation, has made clear that it wants a dominant role<\/a> in developing the sixth-generation fighter jet, even mentioning that it would rather go it alone<\/a>\u00a0than continue working with Germany\u2019s Airbus Defence.<\/p>\n Dassault\u2019s leading role in the fighter jet part of the project was outlined in the initial agreement between Paris, Berlin, and Madrid, the three capitals participating in FCAS. Airbus, meanwhile, would lead the drone and AI cloud aspects of the so-called \u201csystem of systems\u201d for the next-generation fighter jet.<\/p>\n However, the German side is opposing Dassault\u2019s demand to be the sole decision maker regarding the jet development, including the choosing of relevant suppliers.<\/p>\n Such a shift would leave German industry at the mercy of the French in terms of development, production, logistical support and future optimisation.<\/p>\n \u201cGerman taxpayers\u2019 money would be used to consolidate the European aviation industry unilaterally in France,\u201d the association assesses.<\/p>\n All sides agree that the timeline until 2040 is a tight one, but Dassault\u2019s uncompromising attitude is said to have already cost the project a full year of delay.<\/p>\n CEOs from both firms have frequently criticised the slow advancement of the programme. Only Spain\u2019s Indra<\/a> has stayed out of the public quarrels.<\/p>\n