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Bloomberg
The German government has earmarked about €40 billion ($43.2 billion) in spending by 2040 for its next-generation fighter jet, part of a European effort to upgrade the region’s defense capabilities.
The German-French project, called Future Combat Air
System (FCAS), was among discussion points between German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris, said the people, asking not
to be identified because the deliberations are private.
FCAS seeks to bring together Paris-based Dassault Aviation SA — manufacturer of the Rafale fighter — with the German warplane activities of Airbus SE — currently part of the rival Eurofighter consortium — to build a prototype.
An official at the German Ministry of Defense said the government had no immediate comment.
Britain and Italy are meanwhile developing the Tempest model to rival the FCAS and are working on bringing Japan into the group before the end of this year, with Sweden’s Saab AB another prospective partner.
Among factors complicating the FCAS project has been Germany’s policy of requiring parliamentary approval for military exports, a possible economic stumbling block because the program will need to secure international defense contracts in order to be successful.