DefenseAirbus workers urge end to Dassault partnership in €100bn FCAS project
Airbus Defence workers have called for an end to the company’s partnership with Dassault on the Future Air Combat System (FCAS) program, as disputes between the firms intensified throughout 2025.
On Monday, Thomas Pretzl, chairman of the Airbus Defence and Space Central Workers’ Council, suggested that the company should end its partnership with Dassault. “We want to finally develop and build a good fighter aircraft again,” Pretzl said.
The development of FCAS, valued at €100 billion, has stalled due to public disagreements between the primary contractors, Airbus Defence and Dassault. Both companies have voiced differing positions on key aspects of the project.
Dassault has sought a leading role in the fighter aircraft component of the system, contributing to friction over industrial responsibilities. Indra, representing Spain, has remained outside the public disputes.
The political dimension added further complexity when a meeting of defense ministers from the three partner nations was postponed following governmental changes in France. This delay has left critical program decisions unresolved.
FCAS was launched as a trilateral effort by France, Germany, and Spain to develop a next-generation air combat system intended to replace current fighter fleets from 2040. Initial cooperation agreements have since been tested by industrial competition and national interests.
Germany’s defense minister says a decision on the program’s future should be made by the end of the year.
About the Author
Ricardo Meier
Creator of the website that started in 1996 as a magazine. He also writes on Brazilian websites AUTOO, MOTOO and MetrôCPTM.
