Decision announced at the opening of ILA Berlin End of the Line for FCAS Fighter Jet: Germany and France pull the Plug

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At the opening of ILA Berlin 2026, Germany and France announced that they will no longer pursue the development of a joint next-generation combat aircraft under the Future Combat Air System (FCAS) programme. 

Nine years after unveiling plans for a common 6th generation European fighter aircraft, Berlin and Paris have concluded that the project can no longer proceed in its current form. According to German government sources, Chancellor Friedrich Merz and French President Emmanuel Macron reached the shared assessment that the companies involved had been unable to agree on the development of a single combat aircraft. "From my perspective, the programme was doomed from the outset," says military expert Ralph Thiele, a retired Bundeswehr colonel and chairman of the Political-Military Society. "Political leaders still lack a clear understanding of how future wars will be fought. The key issue is drones. In fact, the project should have been terminated no later than the outbreak of the war in Ukraine."

Drone and combat cloud elements likely to survive

The German government stressed, however, that the "core element of FCAS" would continue as a broader European "system of systems". The concept is intended to function as a digital backbone linking manned aircraft, drones and other assets into a single integrated network. During this month's Franco-German ministerial council, both defence ministries are expected to draw up a new roadmap focused on a limited number of "realistic and relevant projects" – likely including unmanned systems and the so-called Combat Cloud.

Nearly a decade lost

FCAS, short for Future Combat Air System, was launched by Germany and France and later joined by Spain. The programme was originally conceived as the backbone of European air power from the 2040s onwards. A stealth-equipped fighter aircraft was intended to replace the Eurofighter Typhoon in German service and the Rafale in the French Air and Space Force. Over time, however, fundamental differences emerged regarding operational requirements. France requires an aircraft capable of carrier operations and the delivery of nuclear weapons, while Germany's focus lies primarily on air superiority and conventional combat missions. 

Dispute between industry partners triggered the end

The programme was also hampered by a prolonged leadership dispute between Dassault Aviation and Airbus Defence and Space. Dassault insisted on taking the lead role in fighter development, while Airbus argued that such demands contradicted previously agreed arrangements and risked reducing the company to the role of a subcontractor. The disagreements centred on intellectual property rights, technology transfer and future export opportunities. Dassault Chief Executive Éric Trappier repeatedly stated that the company could develop the aircraft independently if necessary, while President Macron continued to emphasise the importance of a joint European fighter project for the continent's defence ambitions. Much time has thus been wasted, says Ralph Thiele: "The United States brought the F-35 into service within 12 months. We have lost nine years."

UK, Italy and Japan still underway with GCAP

The most prominent international counterpart to FCAS is the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP), involving the United Kingdom, Italy and Japan. The programme aims to develop a new sixth-generation combat aircraft to replace Japan's F-2 fleet and the Eurofighter Typhoons operated by the UK and Italy. Unlike FCAS, the partner nations have already agreed on the programme's industrial framework and committed the necessary funding for development. It remains unclear whether Germany could join this project or seek new partners like swedish Saab. Ralph Thiele offers advice to the German government regarding GCAP: "The United Kingdom is a pragmatic partner, and Japan would be a dream technology partner for Germany."