THIS IS HARDLY SHOCKING: Germany, France scrap joint fighter jet program.
The Future Combat Air System (FCAS) program, launched in 2017, aimed to build a next-generation fighter to replace Eurofighters and Rafales by around 2040.
The move to scrap one of Europe’s largest defense projects comes as Western military officials warn of a mounting threat from Russia and the United States intensifies pressure on Europe to take care of its own defense.
The more than €100 billion ($115 billion) project, launched in 2017, was once billed as a symbol of Franco-German military unity.
But it has been plagued by years of political and industrial disputes.
French arms giant Dassault Aviation has demanded significantly more control over the project than its industry partner, European consortium Airbus Defence and Space.
The two companies clashed over control of the project’s next phase, access to intellectual property and, above all, differing requirements for the aircraft.
Why can’t Germany and France just get along like they used to in the olden days?