France and Germany scrap joint sixth‑generation fighter project

France and Germany announced this week that they are terminating the joint development of a sixth‑generation fighter under the Future Combat Air System (FCAS) programme. French President Emmanuel Macron confirmed the cancellation, citing industrial incompatibilities and divergent design demands from Dassault Aviation and Airbus, while German Chancellor Friedrich Merz acknowledged the companies could not agree on a common aircraft. The €100 billion project, intended to include a “combat cloud” and unmanned wing‑man drones, will now focus on the remaining FCAS components. The collapse raises doubts about Europe’s ability to coordinate next‑generation defence technology and signals a shift away from a unified European security strategy amid broader transatlantic tensions.