Germany mulls exit from FCAS amid concerns over French control

Germany is reportedly weighing a withdrawal from the Future Combat Air System (FCAS) program, citing growing dissatisfaction with the division of work and the dominant role of French industry.

According to sources within the federal administration in Berlin, cited by European media, the government is actively reviewing alternatives for its next-generation fighter development.

Among the options under consideration is participation in other sixth-generation fighter projects led by the United Kingdom in collaboration with Italy and Japan.

Analysts are drawing parallels with the collapse of the MAWS maritime patrol aircraft program, which ended after Germany purchased eight Boeing P-8A Poseidons through the US Foreign Military Sales (FMS) process, while France pursued the Airbus A321MPA independently.

Observers also note historical echoes from the 1980s, when disputes over European fighter projects resulted in both the French Dassault Rafale and the multinational Eurofighter programs. Today, FCAS remains a multinational initiative involving France, Germany, Spain, and Belgium, though Spain has openly expressed dissatisfaction with the program’s current trajectory.

FCAS is intended to replace Germany’s Eurofighter fleet by the middle of this century and is designed to complement the 35 F-35A Lightning II jets that Berlin has already ordered from the United States.

With tensions rising within the partnership, Germany may also consider expanding its fleet of American-made aircraft as a contingency, reflecting broader concerns over reliability, industrial balance, and strategic autonomy.

The FCAS program, envisioned as a cornerstone of European airpower in the decades ahead, now faces a critical juncture as Berlin reassesses its commitments and the long-term balance of industrial influence within the project.

By Tamilla Hasanova