Merzi questions the FCAS aircraft project in principle

2026-02-19 09:29:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

Germany, France and Spain have been planning the joint FCAS air combat system for years. Now Chancellor Merz has described the countries' differing military requirements as a problem.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has expressed doubts about the joint FCAS air combat system with Spain and France. In an interview on the podcast "Machtwechsel", Merz referred to a "real problem with the requirements profile". The requirements of France and Germany for the next-generation fighter aircraft, which is at the heart of the FCAS, are very different, the chancellor said. This issue has never been resolved satisfactorily and definitively.

Capable of carrying nuclear weapons or not?

"Specifically, the French need, in the next generation of fighter jets, an aircraft capable of carrying nuclear weapons and landing on an aircraft carrier. That is not what we currently need in the German army." Now the question arises whether the FCAS can be realized with two aircraft. "France wants to build just one and adapt it to its specific requirements. But that is not what we need," Merz said.

The Chancellor also raised questions of principle. "I would like the question to be clarified now: will we still need a manned fighter jet in 20 years?"

French President Emmanuel Macron responded to the German Chancellor's criticism and declared, during a visit to India, that he remained "committed to the success of the project." The military needs of the participating countries have not changed. For France, this has included nuclear deterrence from the beginning, the Élysée Palace said.

Complicated, but doable?

"We are not giving up," French Defense Minister-designate Alice Rufo said at the Munich Security Conference, referring to the FCAS. "We are in a situation where it would be absurd not to cooperate among Europeans," the politician said. "It is complicated, but we will succeed."

In Paris, doubts have been raised about Germany's ability to build a fighter jet without French expertise. 'They're lucky if they want to do it themselves. We know how to build a fighter jet,' was the response from French government sources."

Replacement for Eurofighter

The acronym FCAS stands for "Future Combat Aircraft System". This future combat air system will include not only jets, but also drones and innovative communication systems. It aims to form the backbone of Franco-German air defense from the 2040s onwards. In the long term, it will replace the Eurofighter Typhoon in the German Air Force and the Rafale fighter jet in the French Air Force.

Under the agreements reached so far, France, Germany and Spain will each contribute a third to the development of FCAS. Aircraft manufacturer Dassault Aviation is responsible for the project in France, Airbus in Germany and the Indra Sistemas group, which mainly produces air traffic control equipment, in Spain. The project represents an investment of approximately 100 billion euros.

Ongoing since 2017

President Macron and former German Chancellor Angela Merkel (CDU) launched the project during a Franco-German cabinet meeting in 2017. Two years later, Spain announced its participation. Belgium has held observer status since 2023.

Macron continues to publicly support the FCAS, but has not ruled out the possibility of failure. "Given the strategic challenges facing Europe, it would be incomprehensible if industrial differences could not be overcome," Macron said.

The decision on the FCAS has already been postponed twice. It is now expected to be made by the end of February./ DW