Overview
- Dassault CEO Eric Trappier accused Airbus of blocking cooperation, said FCAS is "dead" if that stance holds, and signaled readiness to proceed alone if ordered.
- Airbus has insisted on equal partnership rights, and CEO Guillaume Faury previously said the company could back a two‑aircraft path if governments request it.
- IG Metall, Airbus Defence staff and industry allies staged actions in Germany calling for a restart that would develop two jets and give Berlin a leading role.
- Political leaders are split, with France's Emmanuel Macron reiterating state backing while Germany's Friedrich Merz questioned a single design given divergent national needs.
- The program nears a standstill as Phase 1B wraps up this year and a decision to fund a flight demonstrator is due, covering a system spanning a new fighter, drones and a combat cloud targeted for the 2040s.