DefenseDassault criticizes Airbus over technical delays in FCAS project, says French senator
French senator Hugues Saury reported that Dassault Aviation has raised concerns regarding Airbus Germany’s inability to deliver technical subcomponents for the FCAS program during a Senate hearing in Paris, according to Opex360.
The FCAS (Future Combat Air System), a joint initiative involving France, Germany, and Spain, has faced internal friction over industrial roles and decision-making authority. Dassault, acting as lead contractor, is seeking a shift in governance that would enhance its control over program decisions.
Current governance arrangements allow Airbus - with subsidiaries in Germany and Spain - a significant voice in the program, a structure Dassault argues is inefficient. Recent difficulties meeting technical commitments have strained relations between the engineering teams.
The FCAS initiative, launched in 2017, has faced repeated delays due to disagreements over workshare distribution and intellectual property rights among the main industrial partners. Negotiators are working toward a decision by December 18 to determine the project’s future direction.
The FCAS is intended to replace the French Rafale and the German and Spanish Eurofighter fleets with a new combat aircraft by 2040. The program is considered central to maintaining European defense industry capabilities in the next decades.
Political leaders, including German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and French President Emmanuel Macron, are expected to make a final decision by year-end on whether to continue with the current industrial consortium or pursue alternative approaches.
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