Why are Europe's biggest defense projects in trouble?
Key takeaways
- Disputes over leadership, military priorities and industrial control are threatening to fracture Europe's €100 billion fighter jet project — with tensions now spilling into a Franco-German tank project as well.
- Instead, the bloc's biggest defense project may now produce two separate warplanes.
- Airbus, which represents the German and Spanish side of the Future Combat Air System (FCAS), told DW it is open to restructuring the program after years of political and industrial disputes.
Why this matters: an international story with cross-border implications worth tracking.
Disputes over leadership, military priorities and industrial control are threatening to fracture Europe's €100 billion fighter jet project — with tensions now spilling into a Franco-German tank project as well.
https://p.dw.com/p/5EBq HThe FCAS program was launched by France and Germany and goes far beyond a next-generation fighter jet Image: Benoit Tessier/dpa/Pool/Reuters/AP/picture alliance Advertisement Europe wanted to build a joint next-generation fighter jet. Instead, the bloc's biggest defense project may now produce two separate warplanes.
Airbus, which represents the German and Spanish side of the Future Combat Air System (FCAS), told DW it is open to restructuring the program after years of political and industrial disputes.