France and Germany are considering scaling back the fighter aircraft component of the Future Combat Air System (FCAS) and concentrating their cooperation on the program’s “combat cloud” architecture, according to a report from the Financial Times.
The discussions represent the most significant rethink to date of the next-generation system, originally launched to replace France’s Rafale and the Eurofighter used by Germany and Spain from around 2040.
Under the scenario now being examined, the two governments could cancel the joint New Generation Fighter (NGF) and most likely substitute it with national initiatives or alternative multinational cooperations, while keeping joint work on the digital network linking crewed aircraft, drones, sensors, and ground assets.
Industrial tensions
The possible shift follows persistent disagreements between the program’s key industrial partners. In Germany, Airbus Defence and Space, along with its works council, has repeatedly warned that FCAS cannot continue without a reset of governance and work-sharing arrangements.
The council renewed calls in November 2025 to end the partnership with Dassault Aviation, arguing that cooperation had become “counterproductive.”
Dassault, which leads the fighter pillar for France, has insisted on retaining design authority for the NGF. CEO Éric Trappier has warned that France could pursue a national fighter program if necessary, citing sovereignty requirements and concerns about industrial leadership.
Political efforts to maintain the program
France, Germany, and Spain signed an €8 billion contract in 2022 to fund the next phase of FCAS demonstrators, covering the manned NGF, remote carrier drones, and the combat cloud.
Since then, high-level political intervention has failed to resolve the impasse. In July 2025, French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz urged their defense ministers to find a compromise to keep FCAS on track, but disagreements over intellectual property, workshare, and program governance have continued.
A shift away from joint fighter development would raise questions about how each nation plans to field a sixth-generation aircraft. France could move forward alone with a national design, while Germany may deepen its reliance on US platforms, such as the F-35, or explore alternative European partnerships. Spain and other countries involved in FCAS would also require clarity on their long-term role.
French and German defense ministers are expected to meet in November 2025 to discuss the program’s direction, with a political decision anticipated before the end of 2025.
