France and Germany scrap €100 billion joint fighter jet project

On Monday, Germany and France officially abandoned their flagship €100 billion project to build a next-generation stealth fighter jet.

The decision follows years of bitter disputes between French firm Dassault and German-led Airbus over which company would lead the development. Known as the Future Combat Air System (FCAS), the plane was intended to replace existing European fleets by 2040 and reduce military reliance on U.S. technology. Critics argue the failure highlights a fundamental clash in strategic cultures, as Paris pushes for independent European power while Berlin remains focused on traditional NATO structures.

Germany is now expected to explore a new alliance with other European partners or potentially join a rival project currently led by the U.K., Italy, and Japan.