Overview
- French, German and Spanish defence ministers left Berlin without a deal, derailing hopes for an announcement at this week’s EU summit.
- Multiple sources describe the programme as “very unlikely” to proceed on its current path, with decisions pushed beyond the end‑2025 target into 2026.
- The core impasse is over leadership of the manned fighter, with Dassault insisting on prime authority and Airbus/German officials rejecting that demand.
- Disagreements also persist over the digital combat cloud and drone elements, compounding long‑standing friction on technology rights and workshare.
- Dassault CEO Eric Trappier voiced fresh doubts, saying “Will it happen? I don’t know,” while divergent national needs—France’s nuclear/carrier roles versus Germany’s F‑35 buy—further strain a single design; some analysts suggest a narrowed scope or alternative paths, but those ideas remain speculative.