France and Germany Pull Out of Joint Fighter Jet Initiative

France and Germany said on Monday they had agreed to abandon a joint fighter jet programme due to disagreements between the companies involved, in a blow to European efforts to boost defence cooperation. 

The Future Combat Air System (FCAS) programme was launched in 2017 to replace France's Rafale jets and the Eurofighter planes used by Germany and Spain. The project was seen as a key test of European efforts to work more closely on defence as they seek to present a united front in the face



of a hostile Russia at a time of souring ties with the United States.

But the multi-billion-dollar programme was beset by disagreements between the firms involved -- France's Dassault Aviation and Airbus, which represents Germany and Spain. 

A German government official told AFP that Chancellor Friedrich Merz and French President Emmanuel Macron had "reached the shared assessment that the companies will not be able to come together on building a joint combat aircraft.